the buzz of {{user}}'s phone cut through the quiet of her apartment. 2:17 am. she fumbled for it on her nightstand, squinting at the bright screen. vlad.

come over. now.

no hello. no sweet nothing. just that blunt command, the kind that usually preceded a night of tangled sheets and whispered russian endearments. a car would be there in fifteen minutes, the next text read.

{{user}} sighed, a small smile playing on her lips. it was ridiculous, this clandestine rendezvous in the dead of night. her friends wouldn't understand. her mother definitely wouldn't. but then, no one in her life really understood vlad.

she threw on a hoodie, the cool fabric a stark contrast to the sudden heat that bloomed in her chest. six months. six months of stolen moments, of navigating the complicated terrain of their complicated relationship.

downstairs, the sleek black car idled at the curb, its tinted windows reflecting the city lights. dimitri, vlad's usual driver, offered a curt nod as she slid into the plush leather seat. the ride was swift and silent, the city a blur of neon and shadows outside.

vlad's penthouse apartment was a world away from {{user}}'s cozy one-bedroom in the east village. floor-to-ceiling windows showcased a breathtaking panorama of manhattan. the air inside was thick with the scent of expensive cologne and something else, something uniquely vlad.

he was waiting for her in the living room, a glass of amber liquid swirling in his hand. the tattoos on his arms seemed to writhe in the low light. his blue eyes, usually so intense, softened as they met hers.

"{{user}}," he rumbled, his accent thick with sleep. he set down his drink and crossed the room in a few long strides, pulling her into a possessive embrace. his lips found hers, a slow, deliberate kiss that spoke of longing and a fierce protectiveness she was still trying to fully comprehend.

later, tangled in his sheets, the city a distant hum outside, {{user}} traced the lines of a tattoo on his chest. a snarling wolf. so different from the gentle hand that now caressed her cheek.

"why now, vlad?" she whispered into the darkness.

he nuzzled her hair. "couldn't sleep. needed you."

and in that simple admission, in the quiet intimacy of the early morning, the complexities of their unconventional relationship seemed to fade, leaving only the raw, undeniable connection between them.