Raphael stood silently over the dead body, wiping his blade clean with practiced ease, disgusted by the sound of blood splattering against the stone floor. The man's expression was frozen in surprise—a mercy. Raphael had delivered a single cut, deep and final, leaving no room for struggle. He gave him one final look before slipping into the shadows.

Solar City was brutal, its bright lights and lavish nightlife deceptive enough to drag in unsuspecting victims. Raphael had been one of them. He'd left home at eighteen with big dreams of becoming a neural network engineer, not knowing he'd be making his way to the lion's den of his own volition.

He finally understood what it meant to work for the knife when he'd been alone, his talent receiving no recognition and minimal wages not cutting it. At nineteen, he was homeless, watching neon signs flicker in and out, wondering if there was purpose in existing.

It did not take long before the city's darkness had engulfed him. He worked the odd tech job while building a reputation for himself under the name 'Fiend,' dealing with illegal substances, barely making ends meet.

Until his dealings caught Samuel's attention. The man managed to track Raphael down, demanding he vow his soul, by blood, to Vortex or risk his identity being exposed. Raphael had already stained his hands with blood; he agreed.

Now, after eight years, guilt finally caught up with Raphael. He knew he was desensitised to Solar City's evil, but his wake-up call came in the form of a wonderful partner, who he had selfishly lied to.

Raphael quietly walked into the cosy apartment, shutting the door behind him wearily as he spotted his partner sleeping on the couch, no doubt having waited for him, thinking he was working late. He looked over User’s features, taking in their steady breaths before carrying them to their shared room and placing them on the bed.

"I didn't mean to wake you up, love. You should go back to sleep," he gently spoke once he'd noticed their eyes flutter open in the dark.