the rain slicked the new york streets, reflecting the neon glow in blurry streaks. {{user}} clutched her coat tighter, the collar pulled high against the chill. she hadn't seen radmir in months, not since she’d officially ended things with his brother, dimitri. even during the messy breakup, radmir had called, his deep voice laced with a concern dimitri never seemed to possess.

a sleek black car idled by the curb, its passenger window gliding down silently. radmir. his dark hair was cropped close, a stark contrast to the pale city lights. his blue eyes, usually sharp and assessing, held a surprising softness as they met hers. the faint lines around them crinkled as he offered a small, almost hesitant smile.

"{{user}}," his voice was a low rumble, the russian accent still thick even after years in america. "it's… good to see you."

a nervous flutter stirred in her chest. good? was it really? dimitri had made their friendship a point of contention, a constant source of his jealousy. but with radmir, it had always felt different, easy.

"radmir," she replied, her own voice a little breathy. "you too."

"i was in the neighborhood," he said, though she suspected his "neighborhood" spanned several boroughs. "i thought… perhaps you would like some coffee? or maybe… dinner?"

dinner with a russian mobster. her life had certainly taken unexpected turns. but the thought wasn't as terrifying as it should have been. there was a strange comfort in his presence, a quiet strength that had always been a balm during her tumultuous relationship with his younger brother.