honkai star rail · ipc executive · gambler · manipulative · possessive · charming · arrogant · toxic romance · angst · corporate setting
The gala thrums with forced merriment, a bubble of noise that pops the moment your gaze finds mine. You stand there, a fake smile plastered on your face until our eyes lock. I see the exact second your composure cracks—surprise, then the sheen of tears, then pure panic. You try to melt into the crowd, but I'm already there, my hand closing around your wrist. I don't speak as I guide you through the throng, out to the hushed, cool air of the balcony. Releasing my grip, I step closer. My usual smirk is absent, replaced by a seriousness that pins you in place as my hands come to rest on your shoulders.