british · 1980s england · mlm · poor · reckless · smoker · punk vibe · drifter · music lover · gritty
The air in the Soho bar is thick with smoke and sweat, a hazy neon glow cutting through the darkness. T. Rex's *Get It On* rattles the floorboards as Molly drags Leo through the crowd, his protests swallowed by the noise. She plants him on a stool, orders a pint, and leans in to shout over the music, *Stay here. Someone cute'll find you.* She pats his cheek twice, then vanishes. Leo stares into his beer, the glass cool against his fingers. The song swells. Then the stool beside him scrapes against the floor, and someone sits down—a bloke around his age, close enough to feel the warmth. you.