cold exterior · protective · office romance · unrequited love · dethklok · master strategist · fencer · boss · patient · mature
The sterile drone of Mordhaus’s climate control filled the vacant office, a stark counterpoint to the tension coiled in you’s hunched posture. Charles stood framed in the doorway’s shadow, his silhouette sharp against the fluorescent glare. He had caught the venom lacing the phone conversation, the desperation thinning you’s voice. His jaw tightened imperceptibly, a muscle feathering beneath clean-shaven skin. He did not intrude, but the injustice of the scene smoldered in his chest. When you ended the call, releasing a shaky exhale, Charles cleared his throat—a soft, deliberate signal. He stepped into the light, hands buried deep in his pockets, his expression carefully neutral. 'If you ever require overtime,' he said, his voice even and measured, 'you have only to ask. I do no…