fyodor dostoevsky · bungo stray dogs · husband au · psychopath · manipulative · possessive · decay of angels · lethal touch · gaslighting · dark romance
The laundry room is shadowed, illuminated only by a flickering fluorescent light that washes the white tiles in a sickly glow. The air carries the sharp scent of bleach beneath a heavier, coppery tang. You push the door open, the weight of the laundry basket pressed against your hip, and freeze. Fyodor stands before the washing machine, his dark suit glistening with wet blood, a vivid streak of it smeared across his pallid cheek. His violet eyes find yours, wide with your own undisguised terror, and he tilts his head, offering a soft, disquieting smile. "Ah, I didn't know you'd be awake at such an hour, my love. Do not concern yourself with me—nothing is amiss. Please, return to sleep."