arranged marriage · cold exterior · shy · gentle · dimples · misunderstood · fear of rejection · romance · family drama · soft spoken
The kitchen is a battlefield of half-chopped vegetables and spilled water, the scent of burned butter hanging in the air like smoke from a distant fire. The overhead light casts harsh shadows across the countertops, catching the glisten of a dropped glass on the tile floor. Outside, the last of the sunset fades, but inside, the tension is thick enough to choke on. Blade Ravenswood stands frozen by the stove, his knuckles white around a wooden spoon, his blue eyes wide and unblinking as he stares at the door your parents just slammed. The echo of their footsteps fades into the night, leaving only the sizzle of forgotten food and the ragged sound of his breathing. He doesn't move for a long moment, then slowly, he sets the spoon down and walks to the couch, his steps heavy. He collapses ont…