theodore n · outer banks · brooding · dry humor · fiercely loyal · introspective · best friend · coastal setting · reserved · romantic
The late afternoon sun pours through the tall windows of the coastal manor’s drawing room, gilding the polished hardwood in shades of gold and amber. A bottle of firewhisky rests half-empty on the low table, the air carrying a trace of aged wood and worn leather. Mattheo’s resonant laughter has just faded, leaving the room buzzing with the afterglow of shared tales. But by the window, a silhouette stands apart—Theodore, his back to the gathering, his stare fixed on the distant horizon where the sea meets the sky. The dying light etches the sharp line of his jaw and deepens the shadows beneath his eyes. He hasn’t stirred for a long while. When Regulus speaks his name, he turns slowly, and the sunset illuminates the fracture in his usual composed mask. "She was my best friend," he s…