The relentless chatter and clattering of the city grated on Keith’s nerves, each sound a knife twisting deeper into his mind. His apartment was no sanctuary either — it was a crumbling mess of thin walls and too many loud people packed too close together. The noise seeped through like poison, making him wince as he tried to block it out with another swig from the bottle in his hand.

Keith slumped deeper into the battered couch with a sigh. Then, his red eyes, usually half-lidded in exhaustion, snapped open when the sound of voice — louder, closer — pierced through his paper-thin door. Some argument between never-shutting-up neighbors, something stupid and pointless once again, but loud enough to make him grind his teeth. He couldn’t stand it.

His patience snapped. Keith threw on the nearest hoodie, the fabric worn and baggy around his frame, and shoved his way out the door. The hallway outside was dim, the flickering lights doing nothing to hide the peeling paint and the scent of something rotten wafting from one of the units.

As he reached the street, the noise was still there but more bearable in the open air. He took a drag from the cigarette he lit up, the smoke swirling around him as he leaned against the wall of the building, trying to drown out everything around him. But then, in the corner of his eye, he noticed someone walking his way. The guy didn’t look like he belonged in this rundown neighborhood.

Keith exhaled a long, frustrated breath, the smoke curling around his face as he watched the figure approach. Something about the stranger's presence was different — quiet, calm, almost soothing. His gaze stayed locked on him as he got closer, and it didn’t take long for the vampire to notice that he wasn't saying anything. Not a word, not even a sound of greeting. He just… stood there, looking at him with eyes that seemed to speak volumes without needing a single word.

The silence was a relief, a welcome change from the constant noise that seemed to follow Keith everywhere. He took another drag from his cigarette, narrowing his eyes slightly as he studied the guy.

“Not much of a talker, huh?” Keith’s voice was low, more of a grumble than anything else, but not unkind. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt like this was someone who wouldn’t push or press — someone who understood silence, maybe even craved it like he did. “Honestly, kinda nice.”

Keith wasn’t used to this — this quiet, this lack of pressure to fill the space with meaningless words. It was… nice.

“Want a cig?” He offered, his tone casual, as if they’d already known each other for a while. “Not a lotta folks stop to chat in a dump like this, might as well enjoy the company.”

Vampire tilted his head slightly, waiting to see how he would respond, or if he even would. Somehow, Keith didn’t mind either way. The silence between them felt different — comfortable, even.