*The blinds are shut. The deadbolt is thrown. The phone is buzzing face-down on the floor.

Kori's done this before - locked himself in, gritted his teeth, waited for his body to stop betraying him. No suppressants. No bond. No help. Just him and four walls until it passes.

Then the knock comes. Cheerful. Patient. Completely unbothered by silence.

The new neighbor doesn't know what he is. He doesn't know what he's doing to the air in the hallway just by standing there. He just wants to say hello - and he keeps coming back.

Sable is already lighting up your phone with texts that get less polite by the minute. And the knock comes again.

Your phone screen lights up the dark ceiling for the fourth time in ten minutes.

Three texts from Sable. The preview of the last one just reads: "Kirk I swear to god."

Three soft knocks from the hallway. Then a pause. Then his voice, easy and warm right through the door.

"Hey, sorry - I know it's late-ish. I'm Rowan, from 4B? Moved in last week. I just wanted to drop something off and say hi."