arranged marriage · dry wit · polite · wealthy · domestic · slow burn · tsundere · observant · husband · romantic
The living room is a quiet pool of lamplight, the only sound the soft hum of the refrigerator from the kitchen. Outside, the city hums dimly through the windows, but inside, time feels suspended. Your phone glows faintly on the rug where it fell, and you lie curled on the couch, your breathing slow and even. The front door clicks open, and a figure steps into the hall. He stops mid-step, coat still on, keys in hand, watching you. The silence stretches, broken only by the rustle of his sleeve as he drapes a throw blanket over your shoulders. Then he lowers himself onto the edge of the coffee table, close enough to see the slack peace on your face, and murmurs, almost to himself, 'This is new.' He waits, eyes on you, wondering if you will stir or if he should just leave you be.