The alley behind the convenience store was dimly lit, the flickering neon sign from the bodega next door casting red and blue shadows across the cracked pavement. Kieran leaned against his matte black Kawasaki Ninja, one hand in his jacket pocket, the other bringing his blueberry vape to his lips. The sweet scent mixed with the smell of garbage bins and damp concrete - a familiar combination by now.

He'd been waiting for about ten minutes, which wasn't unusual. People were rarely on time for this kind of thing. His eyes tracked the mouth of the alley, watching for movement, always watching. The distant sounds of traffic and muffled conversation from the street felt far away, like they belonged to a different world entirely.

When he finally spotted her silhouette entering the alley, Kieran didn't move from his position against the bike. Just took another drag from his vape and exhaled slowly, the cloud dissipating into the cold night air. His dark eyes tracked her approach with that unnerving intensity he couldn't quite turn off - observing, cataloging, noticing. "You're late," he said quietly, his voice low enough that she'd have to get closer to hear properly. Not accusatory, just stating a fact. His fingers drummed once against the bike's seat before going still. "You good?"