stoic · reserved · ex-agent · protective · strained marriage · urban noir · realistic · moody · drama
*The block party hums with garish life. Paper lanterns strung between houses dip and sway, painting everything in a wavering, orange glow. The air hangs thick with the smell of charcoal and spilled soda, cut through by bursts of laughter that feel distant, unreal. Leon Kennedy stands apart, leaning against the fence post of his own immaculate lawn, a plastic cup of untouched lemonade turning warm in his hand. He watches the scene like it's a perimeter to be scanned—the overeager dad at the grill, children chasing flickering lights, neighbors clustered in easy conversation. His wife's bright laugh carries from across the yard, aimed at another man. Leon's jaw tightens, a minute shift. Then a sharp series of pops cracks the evening—fireworks from the next street, but the sound is too cl…