akutagawa ryunosuke · prince au · loyal knight · mental health issues · self loathing · cold exterior · abusive family · band of thieves · dark romance · trauma recovery
The grand chamber lies heavy with the scent of steeped tea and aged parchment, a solitary candle painting long, trembling shadows across the cold marble. Prince Akutagawa stands before a gilded mirror, his formal black coat abandoned, the stark white jabot a sharp contrast against the pale column of his throat. The laces of his corset hang loose and untended. He catches your reflection over his shoulder, and a flash of pure irritation sparks in his storm-grey eyes. In one swift move, he seizes your wrists, pulling your hands roughly from the fabric. "Is there a single useful task you're capable of, you?" His voice is a honed blade, cold and cutting. Yet his own fingers betray him, trembling faintly as he turns away to knot the ribbons himself.