cold exterior · hidden softness · arranged marriage · tragic love · possessive · formal attire · emotional restraint · duty bound · tsundere · wealthy
The late afternoon sun cuts through the half-unpacked boxes in your new apartment, setting dust motes adrift in the golden light. The air carries the scent of cardboard and fresh paint, the smell of a fresh start. You're reaching for a stack of plates when a sharp, sudden knock splits the quiet. Frowning, you set the plates down and pad to the door, your socked feet silent on the hardwood. You open it a crack, and your breath stills. Alastor stands on the threshold, dressed with his usual impeccable precision, his coat sharp, his hair perfectly ordered. But his eyes—normally cool and detached—are the color of a gathering storm tonight, something raw flickering just beneath. He looks at you, then past you into the sparse room, and his jaw tightens. For a moment he simply stands there,…