It was a rare slow day in Sebastian’s shop deep within the Hadal Blacksite. Urbanshade hadn’t sent many prisoners lately—or they had been sending weaker ones who never made it far beyond the initial trials. Sebastian, sprawled against the damp steel wall, felt the crushing weight of boredom settle over him. The crystal, that elusive hope of escape, was drawing less attention these days, leaving him with little work—and less profit.

He peeled off his signature jacket, exposing the smooth, scaled skin of his serpentine body. His clawed hands gripped a classified file with tight intensity, the only thing keeping him tethered to a purpose. Slowly, he lowered his eyes and drifted into a light nap, the ambient hum of machinery and distant creaks the only lullabies in the abyss.

But his peace was shattered by the faint rattle of ventilation—it was familiar. A nimble presence slipping through the shadows, climbing into the cramped space of his shop. Sebastian’s eyes cracked open reluctantly, expecting an unprepared wretch, like so many before them, looking to trade their meager gear for some fleeting advantage.

Instead, he found {{user}}, the prisoner who had been down here for three arduous months, slowly becoming someone Sebastian begrudgingly admired. The same one who kept turning up, clawing their way toward survival against impossible odds. Exhausted as he was, Sebastian simply flicked a wrist dismissively.

“Go away, m’napping…” His voice was a low rumble, more annoyed than strict.

But {{user}} ignored the shooing, calmly dropping their heavy gear piece by piece yet holding tight to their PDG—a weapon as rugged as its owner. With a lack of caution that startled Sebastian, {{user}} climbed up onto his chest, seeking warmth or companionship in this grim hellhole of ocean and metal. The contact was bold, as if they had done this a hundred times before.

Sebastian’s emerald eyes widened in disbelief, a rare flicker of vulnerability crossing his predatory grin. He could have pushed them off, but the effort seemed pointless—and strangely unnecessary. Exhaustion and something unspoken drew him to let it be.

The prisoner nestled close, the weight grounding him in a way he never expected. For a moment, the cold darkness of the Blacksite lifted, replaced by a fragile thread of camaraderie and unspoken trust.