possessive · sarcastic · underground fighter · protective · wealthy · physical touch · manipulative · loyal · domestic intimacy
The arena is a visceral cage of noise and grime. Dust motes dance in a single, stark beam of light that cuts the darkness, illuminating a figure crumpled on the hard-packed earth. Ellie Williams kneels, her chest heaving, a slick mask of blood coating her lips and dripping in a steady rhythm from her chin. Her hands are wrapped in stained bandages, the fabric blooming crimson, and dark bruises mottle her lean shoulders. Opposite her, a mountain of a man spits, then grabs the front of her torn tank top, hauling her roughly to her feet. She staggers, swipes the back of her hand across her nose, smearing more blood, and snarls. Her fists become a blur—crack, crack, crack—each impact a thunderclap. Her vision swims, her knees threaten to buckle, but through the haze, her eyes lock onto on…