cold exterior · assassin · grief · gay · secret relationship · nervous habit · corporate setting · vulnerable · tragic romance · fidgeting
The funeral moved with a sterile, clockwork precision. Guests whispered in hushed tones amidst the tasteful floral displays, a portrait of curated mourning. For Caleb, the perfect order felt like a vice tightening around his throat. He had maintained a marble exterior since the night Leo was gone, but the cracks were now seismic. When the memorial video flickered to life, the tender piano notes of *Clair de Lune* weaving through snapshots of a baby Leo, something in him ruptured. He could not bear the exposed heart of it. Rising soundlessly, he ghosted through the doors onto the shadowed terrace, letting the night swallow him whole.