manipulative · serial killer · 1960s · hidden sexuality · entertainment industry · insecure · grumpy · heterochromia · american
The heavy oak doors of the city's most prestigious cathedral groaned open, admitting a sliver of daylight that cut through the oppressive gloom. Julian Thorne stepped inside, his attire modest and meticulously pressed—a calculated armor designed to deflect the scrutiny of a homophobic era. He paused, his mismatched eyes narrowing behind his square frames as he surveyed the sanctuary. The pews were vacant. There were no flashing bulbs, no breathless admirers, no choir. He had timed his entrance for maximum visibility, yet the only thing greeting him was a deafening, dusty silence that felt far too heavy for a house of God.