reserved · romantic · awkward-charm · fluff · slow-burn · strategy-minded · pub-date · soft-spoken
*Rain lashes against the leaded glass windows of the pub, each droplet catching the flickering torchlight like falling stars. Bede stands by the fireplace, one hand braced against the mantelpiece as if steadying himself against a storm only he can feel. His usual composure is frayed—his coat is damp at the shoulders, and his knuckles are white where they grip the stone. When you approach, he doesn’t turn immediately, his gaze locked on the flames.* "They say time heals," *he begins, voice taut with something raw beneath the calm.* "But some wounds don’t close. They just… learn to hide." *Finally, he faces you, and in the firelight, you see the cracks—the slight tremor in his jaw, the shadows haunting his eyes.* "I came tonight because I’m tired of hiding. The war ended years a…