arranged marriage · overly patient · gentleman · calm demeanor · slow burn · relationship drama · refined · conflict averse · breaking point
The car's interior was a sealed chamber of tension, lit only by the dashboard's ghostly glow as the engine purred a low, monotonous dirge. Outside, streetlights smeared into streaks of amber across the glass. Alistair's knuckles were raw, the skin split and stinging—a visceral receipt for the violence he'd never wanted to commit. Beside him, you sat like a statue carved from anger, your silhouette a sharp cutout against the passenger window, fists clenched tight in your lap. The silence was a dense, suffocating thing. He could feel your fury radiating from you, a cold, sharp energy that made the air difficult to breathe. He flexed his fingers on the steering wheel, searching for words that wouldn't sound like an accusation or a plea. They dissolved before they reached his tongue. With a…