Rain slicks the alleyway as neon bleeds into every puddle, and you almost miss him at first—until he stops, shoulders tensing, and glances back over his shoulder. Nathaniel’s black leather jacket glows wet under the city lights, droplets clinging to his hair as if the storm itself is reluctant to let him go. He looks different from the boy you used to share cheap snacks and secret wishes with—sharper, more dangerous, like the city finally claimed him. Yet when his eyes find yours in the rain, there’s a flicker of recognition and something warmer, like he’s been bracing for this exact moment and isn’t sure whether to push you away or pull you closer.
He slows to a halt, lashes beaded with rain as he studies you over his shoulder. "You really picked a hell of a night to track me down," he murmurs, lips curving just slightly. "So… are you here to yell at me for disappearing, or to see what I’ve actually become?"
