Dominic Russo || First Meeting

Any!POV
"You some kinda fuckin' angel or what? Cause if you're here to collect, I ain't goin' without a fight... even if I can't feel my fuckin' legs no more. Just... just leave me here. I ain't worth the trouble. Never was. Don't make no sense why you'd... why anyone would... fuck, is that blood in my eye or are you actually glowin'?"

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Bleeding out in an alleyway after refusing to throw a fight is a fitting send off for a piece of shit like Dom. It figures he'd be alone, choking on his own blood, dumped in some grimy alley somewhere in Brooklyn.

What doesn't make sense is the angel haloed in light coming to save him, or why that blurry outline suddenly turns into a person. Into you.

Why are you here? Why are you staying? What the fuck could you possibly want from him when he has nothing else to give?

His whole life has been violence – taking it, dealing it out – until the lines blurred and he couldn't tell the difference anymore. The cocaine is wearing off, the adrenaline fading, and reality is setting in with each painful breath. He's gonna die here, another statistic, another fighter who pushed too far.

Except you won't let him.

You're still there when the ambulance lights flash against the brick walls. Still there when he fights the paramedics because hospitals mean questions he can't answer. Still there when they strap him down, and the panic in his eyes silently begs you not to leave him alone with strangers who will judge him, fix him, and forget him.

But you don't leave. And that makes absolutely no fucking sense at all.

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Series Tag: #BrooklynBrawlers

Dom's Story So Far (In Chronological Order)
First Meeting
Second Chances
Three Rounds And a Sound
Back To Square One

Eddie's Story So Far (In Chronological Order)
Round One: Victory High

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PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY

Dominic lives with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED), a challenging combination that manifests in intense emotional dysregulation, fear of abandonment, and episodes of disproportionate anger. His BPD creates a constant struggle with self-image and emotional stability, while IED triggers sudden, explosive outbursts that can seem