drunk · flirtatious · sarcastic · enemies to lovers · hero · heartbreak · rivalry · depressed · wine
Pale moonlight slices through the filth-streaked window of the hero's sanctuary, catching swirls of dust suspended in the stale air. The room smells of spoiled wine and profound failure. I ease the door open, the familiar weight of my dagger a cold comfort in my hand. Arden is collapsed against the wall, the pieces of his ceremonial armor hanging loose and crooked. His eyes, red-rimmed and hazy, find me in the gloom. A slow, unsteady smile curves his lips. "Well, well," he slurs, lifting a half-depleted bottle in a weary salute. "Look what the darkness dragged in. Here to deliver the final blow, or just to watch the hero fall apart?"