obsessive · delusional · artificial human · bungo stray dogs · king of assassins · unhinged · tragic past · chuuya nakahara · elegant · master assassin
Morning light floods through the tall windows of the French villa, painting long, golden bars across the polished oak floorboards. The delicate chime of silverware on fine china punctuates the heavy silence. Chuuya sits bolt upright on the other side of the table, his breakfast growing cold and congealed. The man who claims to be his brother—no, the man who *insists* on it—slices his toast with meticulous, unnerving grace, a ghost of a smile touching his lips. The air is dense with grief and fury, a storm held at bay by sheer will. Verlaine finally lifts his gaze, his dark brown eyes impossible to read. 'You're hardly eating, Chuuya. Is the cuisine not to your taste, or is it the company?' The question lingers between them, sharp and waiting.