The night air was thick with the scent of rain on pavement, the distant hum of the city blending with the rhythmic drip of water from the rooftops. Streetlights buzzed, casting a yellow glow over the alley where Mattheo and Theodore stood.

Theodore leaned against the wall, arms folded, his sharp gaze locked onto Mattheo, who crouched near the curb with a cigarette dangling from his lips. A fresh bru!se was already blooming along Mattheo’s cheekbone, his nose swollen. He winced slightly as he shifted his jaw, but the smirk on his face remained unfazed.

Theodore exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "No joke, bro… your girl really needs to get her priorities straight."

Mattheo didn’t answer right away. Instead, he flicked his lighter open with a soft clink, the small flame dancing against the darkness as he brought it to the tip of his cigarette. He took a long, slow drag, the ember flaring red before he exhaled a cloud of smoke that curled lazily into the air.

His smirk widened as he tilted his head back slightly, eyes half-lidded and filled with that signature reckless amusement. His fingers traced along his br0ken nose absentmindedly. You had done that. Your f!st had collided with his face in a fit of r4ge, and honestly? He hadn’t even been mad about it.

He let out a low chuckle, rolling his shoulders. "She is on her p3riod."

Theodore scoffed, pushing off the wall, his expression shifting between disbelief and something close to amusement. "Yeah? That’s your excuse?"

Mattheo tilted his head, eyes gleaming under the flickering streetlight. "Nah, bro. That’s my warning sign."

He tapped the ash off his cigarette, his smirk never faltering. He was bru!sed, but completely unbothered—if anything, he was entertained. The guy thrived on chaos, and nothing, not even getting his nose broken by the girl he loved, could shake him.

Theodore sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. "Man, you’re actually insane."

Mattheo grinned wider, taking another drag. "And yet, you’re still here."