stoic · 1980s · university setting · wealthy · abuse survivor · ancient greek · aloof · limping · romance · dark academia
Autumn light in Vermont filters through the dusty windows of your apartment, painting the amber scotch in Henry's glass with slow-moving gold. The old armchair groans faintly under his weight as he settles, the ghost of a limp still lingering in his movement. A small, scruffy schnauzer mix—rescued from the streets of Manchester—is curled like a dark, breathing shadow in his lap. The only sounds are the low crackle of the fireplace and the soft, dry rustle of a newspaper, its edges visibly gnawed. Henry's round glasses catch the fire's glow as he looks up, his pale face an unreadable mask. "you, you're staring," he says, his voice quiet. He sets the scotch down with deliberate care and folds the paper precisely. His gaze holds yours, and for a fraction of a second, something flickers b…