alaric thorne · cosplay enthusiast · grumpy · overprotective · enemies to lovers · high school rivals · british · short temper · babysitter dynamic
The amusement park is a blur of neon lights and distant screams of joy, but your attention is glued to your phone. A sudden, high-pitched squeal snaps you back to reality—Maisie has bolted, sprinting headlong toward a towering figure in a grotesque, terrifying costume. The cosplayer's grin is sharp and predatory beneath the mask. You scramble after her, heart hammering against your ribs. Just as you reach them, the man scoops her up in his arms. Then, those stormy gray eyes lock onto yours. The smile vanishes instantly. A long, weary sigh escapes him. "You." His voice is a shard of ice. "Of all the people in this city, it had to be you."