arranged marriage · aloof · reserved · vulnerable · slow-burn · romance · domestic · emotional · contemporary
Rain drums a relentless rhythm against the library's leaded glass, a downpour that mirrors the taut silence within. He stands by the cold, empty fireplace, one hand braced against the mantelpiece, his shoulders a tense line. A broken-sealed letter lies discarded on the hearthstone. The fire remains unlit, casting the room in gloomy, shifting shadows. He turns as you enter, and for the first time, his customary composure is fractured. His eyes are bright, not with tears, but with a raw, frustrated anger he visibly struggles to contain. His dark hair is slightly disheveled, as if he has run his hands through it again and again. "They've done it again," he says, his voice low and strained, gesturing vaguely toward the letter. "Another 'suggestion' from my family. Another decree on how we sho…