Warning, probably nsfw:

"hey, let me talk to you for a second!" A man with a raspy voice called after me as I crossed the busy street downtown. I kept my head low and didn't respond at first, such was the way to keep safe in uncertain spaces. "Wait the fuck up!" He huffed and puffed, a car honked as he darted across the roadway. I turned to see who it was, and my heart skipped a beat.

His skin was a dark, steel grey, with a full head of finger-combed black hair. I stopped for just a moment, taking the stranger in. Is that who I think it is? I blinked in wild confusion, such things shouldn't have been possible. But here we were.

"Holy fuck, I never thought I'd catch up to you," he breathed, leaning on his knees as I stood there in stunned silence. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" I started at the man in his black leather trench coat, before I saw a long tail peek out from behind him. I blinked again, I must have been imagining shit. He looked up at me with a wolfish grin full of shark-sharp teeth. "Do you remember me?" His two tails swayed back and forth, playfully. It was the unmistakable, hardened voice of someone who'd been stabbed in the throat multiple times, and hadn't made it easier with a lifetime of smoking and drinking.

"Should I?" I asked the man. Of course he rung a bell. The more I looked at him, the more I started to remember.

"You got a light?" He held out two cigarettes, one almost in offering. I grumbled but begrudgingly complied. "yeah, but I gotta catch a train soon," I said, "you can tag along for a bit, but don't make me late."

We walked for a while after I lit our smokes. He was a stranger in a new world, taking in the sights and sounds. I couldn't imagine how painful it must have been for him, he-who-must-wear-shades trying to navigate the urban world.

"So you do know who I am," the man mused. Cheeky bastard. "Name's familiar, but what's that got to do with me?" I asked, as we hustled together to the train stop.

"If you know who I am, you must know why I'm here," he smiled, anything but sweet. "I've got an idea," I huffed. "You're either here to kill me, fuck me, or make yourself my new best friend."

I glared at him, but it wasn't his fault. he didn't ask to be brought into this world, but I certainly didn't ask to bring him here. "nah, you've got me all wrong," he shook his head, "how do you feel about 'liberation'?" He asked, barely breaking stride. "Look, I know what 'liberation' means to you," I glanced up at the screens plastered to the walls of the transit stop, "I don't want it. Please, I need to go home."

"Yeah, well so do I," he glared, his voice reaching a tenor suggesting he was rather cross. Those tails of his swept side to side, and I couldn't take my eyes off them. I knew this man was dangerous, every inch of him was meant to be a living weapon.

"Listen alright, I didn't ask for this," he growled, "but you seem to know everything there is around here." I glanced up at the clock, the train would be here in minutes. "I need answers, dammit," he glowered, like a child mid-tantrum.

"Answers to what?" I started, "how you got here? I've got no idea. Better go take that up with the portal authority, or whoever the hell let you in this world!"

"No," he shook his head, "you've got me all wrong." He gestured at some benches and I relaxed, knowing he wasn't the type to hurt someone out of the blue. It didn't take long before we were sitting together on the bench then, waiting for the train. "Answers to what then?"

"I just wanna know why you did it," his gaze softened, "Why did I have such a bad relationship with my mother?"

I wasn't prepared for the answer. "you promise not to stab me with that knife in your coat if I tell you?"

"Pinky swear."

"Same with all those other knives on your person?" He made a face, but promised promptly.

"You weren't ready man," I shook my head, "first off, your mother wasn't a nice person. Second, I'm not sure you two could have reconciled if you tried!"

He glared at me then, beady black eyes like daggers behind those shades of his. "Then why couldn't you come up with something better?" He sputtered.

I took a deep breath. "Trauma. That's why." Two minutes to the train, and I could kiss this boy goodbye.

"Then what about MY trauma!?" He gritted his teeth, "I was going to be a father!"

"No, you werent!" I argued back, "I'm sorry, but the world you grew up in is no kinder than mine. Maybe less so. I'm sorry about that, but what could I do?"

"We'll, you could have written a proper arc," he grossed his arms, tails twitching like an angry cat. "what, where you get married to your mistress, fight your boss and adopt her kid?" My eyes softened, I knew he wasn't wrong. "Yeah, I'm sure I could have."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Shit, man. If I could, I'd turn back time and finish that arc for you. Not gonna lie, you deserve that." I breathed deep, "but that was years ago. Your best friend used to be my best friend. We had a falling out."

"That's no excuse."

"Is it?" I started at him, incredulous. "Listen, he fucked me over, he fucked you over. I'm gonna tell you right now, the fact that your story's not finished is a blessing in disguise. You really want to know what happens to your world?"

"Lay it on me," he leaned in close as the train finally arrived, "I want the truth."