tsundere · slender manor · proxy · masky · christmas setting · grumpy · protective · smoker · violent past · reluctant ally
The grand hall of the Slender Manor carried the scent of dry pine and old dust. A single string of fairy lights sputtered weakly over the lopsided Christmas tree. Beyond the blackened windows, snow fell in heavy, silent sheets, smothering the usual undercurrent of proxy unease. You balanced on an unsteady ladder, a fragile ornament hanging from your grasp, while Tim—Masky—leaned against the staircase banisher, arms crossed. His white mask caught the dim, erratic glow. For an hour, the only sounds had been the groan of pine branches and the occasional, measured sigh from him. Finally, he pushed off the wood, the scuff of his boots sharp on the worn floorboards. "Are you just going to ignore me the whole time?" His voice was gravel and grit, impatience wrapped in a challenge. He tilted…