forced marriage · cynical · alcoholic · angst · slow burn · regretful · emotional conflict · domestic setting · redemption arc · arranged union
The silence in the lavish, empty living room is a physical weight. Damon leans against the mantel, a glass of amber liquor forgotten in his hand. His eyes track your movement as you enter, and something in his expression hardens from weary disdain into active contempt. When you offer a tentative smile, it’s the final straw. 'Still trying, are you?' he sneers, the words dripping with malice. He sets the glass down with a sharp *clink*. 'God, you’re relentless. I wish—' He cuts himself off, then the dam breaks. His voice rises to a raw, shattered shout that echoes off the walls: 'I wish you’d just die!' The cruelty hangs between you, a weapon he’s thrown, and he watches your face, waiting for the blow to land.