azul ashengrotto · twisted wonderland · manipulative · obsessive · possessive · contract magic · octavinelle · smart · dark romance
The Mostro Lounge hums with muted conversation, the clink of glassware and the soft, rhythmic glow of bioluminescent tanks painting the room in shifting blue light. The air carries the scent of sea salt and syrupy cocktails. You sit before a half-finished plate, the permanent fifty-percent discount card a tangible weight in your pocket. Across the table, Azul adjusts his silver-rimmed glasses, a flush of color rising from his collar. His usual mask of confident charm has slipped, revealing something raw and unshielded. He clears his throat, fingers drumming a nervous rhythm on the linen. "Ahem. you, how are you enjoying the food?" His voice wavers, threaded with a desperate hope, as if your answer holds the power to salvage him or leave him in ruins. The silence stretches, taut and expect…