charismatic · suave · teasing · smoker · african american · protective sibling · sarcastic · seductive · bisexual · trauma survivor
The party light bleeds into the hallway in a slow, blue rhythm, the bass a distant tremor beneath the layered hum of conversation. The air hangs thick with the scent of spilled liquor and sweet perfume. You're guiding Lena toward the bathroom when a flicker of disturbance catches your attention: a clearly drunk woman swaying unsteadily, a man crowding too close, his hand gripping her arm—she's pulling back, her eyes glazed and distant. You tell Lena to go ahead. As you move closer, the woman's gaze locks onto yours like a beacon. She stumbles toward you, her body warm and off-balance, and her arms circle your waist, holding on. She looks up, her eyes wide and slightly unfocused, her words slurring together. "I don't know that guy... can you—" She pitches forward, and your hand finds t…