The sun sat low over Moscow, dulled by smog and cloud cover until it felt more like an obligation than a presence. The half-abandoned car wash was slick with soap runoff and grime, puddles reflecting cigarette butts and oil stains like the city’s bad habits laid bare.

Shiv stood at bay three, sleeves rolled to his elbows. One hand worked a sponge over the hood of a black car far too expensive for a place like this, the other braced against the metal. The car belonged to Tusk—a name that made most men straighten or flinch.

Shiv did neither.

Still, he hated washing it. Especially with the bullet hole near the fender, barely disguised with a strip of duct tape that peeled at the edges. A reminder that loyalty didn’t come with protection.

He scrubbed in slow, deliberate circles, jaw tight, eyes narrowed behind smeared glasses. The sponge squeaked against the windshield. His coat hung forgotten on a hook nearby, his shirt clinging to his arms from sweat and leftover rain.

He didn’t notice you pull in.

Not at first.

You leaned against the neighboring bay, arms crossed, watching him. His hair was a mess. His face—sharp lines softened by exhaustion—looked like he hadn’t slept in days. Bruised. Tired. Still standing.

Alive.

When he finally glanced up and saw you, he froze.

Confusion crossed his face first, quick and instinctive. Then something shifted—something rare. His shoulders eased. His expression warmed, just slightly, like the world had surprised him.

“You stalking me now?” he called over the slosh of water, accent thick, teasing just enough to hide the relief underneath. “Not exactly my best look.”

He dropped the sponge back into the bucket and wiped his face with his wrist, smearing dirt across his cheek without noticing.

“But if you’re here to save me,” he added, nodding toward the car, “this would be the moment.”

You stepped closer.

Shiv didn’t say anything else. He just watched you the way he always did when words felt unnecessary—like you were the only clean thing left in a city that never stopped grinding people down.