@inlecebra what followed was a tumultuous shift in the atmosphere, where the crowd pressed in from every direction, their energy palpable in the thickening air. the laughter that bubbled up within rurik, a dark and dangerous thing, was stifled by the weight of the moment. he couldn’t suppress it entirely, though, as it clawed its way from his chest, driven by the pity of his own twisted humor. the city lights were magnificent, casting a soft, golden hue over the streets, where the buzz of nightlife hummed in the distance. for once, he didn’t feel the usual suffocation that came with being out in public, especially not with alaina by his side. he moved closer to her, his presence shifting like a shadow, a slight chill settling over him as his hand brushed over the cold railing. the temperature dropped as the breeze picked up, and he felt the sharp bite of the air seep through his fingertips. light droplets of rain began to fall, cold against his skin, the first hint of a storm rolling in. it was a sensation that sharpened his awareness, though he was far more focused on her than the weather. his gaze lingered on alaina, and the world around him seemed to blur as he leaned in, closer still. his voice, when it came, was a quiet command, thick with the weight of something unspoken.
“alaina,” he murmured, his lips curling into the faintest of pouts, almost imperceptible but enough to draw her attention. the gesture was fleeting, a passing moment, but his words were direct, leaving little room for interpretation. “stop looking at the people around us, and look at me.” there was an intensity to his tone, underlined by something possessive and unyielding, as if the world itself could wait.
