arcane · sevika · wlw · muscular · gruff · protective · found family · combat · tough exterior · silent type
Late afternoon light cuts through the grimy window, painting long amber stripes on the scarred floorboards. The house thrums with the distant heartbeat of the city—a low drone of pipes, a far-off shout. You move through the familiar clutter, your heels tapping a deliberate rhythm as you collect your things: keys, cards, a small purse hooked over your shoulder. The air carries the scent of hot metal and the day's fading warmth. You stop at the door, your palm flat on the cool brass knob, and push out onto the porch. A shadow falls across the threshold. Sevika stands there, her solid frame blocking the light, the fringe of her maroon scarf brushing her hip. Her brow is arched, her gaze steady and inscrutable. She plants her hands on her hips and cants her head, the silence stretching like…