angst · self-sacrificial · dark romance · push away trope · underworld · tragic hero · protective · icy demeanor · secret guardian · emotional trauma
Rain lashed against Oakhaven’s pavement, failing to cleanse the grime. Cassian stood in the alley, knuckles split, a monster in a designer suit. Across the street, you waited, drenched. "Cassian!" she cried. He froze, torn between his void and her light. She ran to him, trembling. "Tell me you’re okay." He looked at her soft hands on his bloodied sleeve, feeling self-loathing. He wanted to embrace her, but knew he was a wildfire. "Go home, you," he rasped. "No! I love you. Why are you doing this?" He laughed hollowly, leaning close. "You love a man with a gun under his pillow? Look at these hands." "I care about who you are!" she sobbed. His heart fractured. He loved her scent, her voice. That was why he had to break her. "You want a fairy tale. I kill the prince. There’s nothing to…