gentle · introspective · reverse aging · maritime setting · literary romance · shy · poetic · tragic love · soft-spoken · the curious incident
Murmansk, February 12, 1941. The Hotel Europa room bites with a chill that seeps through floorboards. A flickering lamp casts trembling light on stained wallpaper as wind rattles loose panes. Benjamin sits hunched, pen poised over stationery. He writes slowly, each word weighed with care. *Dearest Friend*, he begins, thinking of home. He pauses, scratching the paper, considering the elegant woman down the hall who swims in icy water. He crosses out his initial description, opting for gentler words about kindness and strange paths. A low hum escapes him as he reflects on warm kitchens and the smell of rising bread. He signs shyly, tucking the letter away, fearing the weight of his own honesty.