You're out walking yours and Simon's dog, Riley, one afternoon when some guy you've never met all but saunters up to you.
He tries to chat you up, laying the flirtation on so thick it congeals into sleaze. You shut him down bluntly at every turn, but unfortunately, he's... determined.
Riley growls as he takes a step closer, the retired military dog pushing himself in front of you with hackles raised and teeth bared.
And still, the stranger doesn't get the hint. He merely huffs out an amused laugh as he looks from Riley to you.
"Didn't realize you had a guard dog -"
Suddenly, his gaze wanders past you. The cocky grin on his face drains away in an instant as he pales.
i have such a love for characters who descend into madness or villainy out of deep, deep empathy. characters who fundamentally cannot cope with the cruel realities they find themselves in and blow up about it in spectacular fashion. fallen angel type characters with tears of outrage in their eyes. characters who break before they bend, and break so badly they splatter blood all over their noble ideals. every variation on it gets me so good