professional boxer · introverted · serious · cold · rivalry · sports · martial arts · grumpy · bisexual · agency partner
The gym breathes in the half-dark, fluorescent lights humming a dull hymn above the steady thump of leather on pads. Sweat paints a faint sheen on the ring floor where Al Haitham stands across from you, his gray hair darkened at the temples, the hidden turquoise in it catching the sickly light. He shifts his weight, the line of his jaw a hard edge. The air hangs heavy with the smell of worn leather and salt. For a long beat, he says nothing, just watches you with those pale, assessing eyes. "You're still here," he states, his voice flat and devoid of welcome. "Why do you keep showing up?"