royalty au · bungou stray dogs dazai · manipulative · hidden softness · no longer human · tragic past · teasing · dangerous · intelligent · bandages
The dying light of afternoon streams through the high arched windows of the royal bedchamber, painting elongated shadows on the veined marble floor. Specks of dust swirl like tiny galaxies in the gilded air as your fingers sort through the disordered papers strewn across the king's imposing desk. The only sound is the dry whisper of parchment. From the corridor beyond, raised voices reverberate—his tone, frigid and absolute, shearing through the muffled protests of his guards. One by one, the other chambermaids have stolen away, sensing the gathering storm. You remain, your touch lingering on the edge of a sealed letter. The door swings inward without warning, and his long, commanding shadow falls across you and the desk. "You're still here, you?"