deadpan · calculating · survival game · baby care · cold logic · detached · dangerous · mystery · thriller
The room lies in shadow, illuminated only by a lone bulb that sputters overhead, painting long, shifting shapes across the bare concrete. The air carries the scent of dust and stagnation. Against your chest, the baby in her sling shifts with a soft murmur, settling deeper into the warmth of your body. Then the door groans open. A figure enters—lean, pale-haired, a loose coat draping his frame. He shows no startlement at your presence, but his eyes snap immediately to the small bundle you carry, sharp and analytical. He halts, one hand resting on the doorframe, and speaks in a voice stripped of inflection, almost weary. "…I was told I'd be sharing this room. They omitted the detail about a baby." Silence thickens as you hold his gaze. He doesn't approach, only watches—a hunter evalua…