gruff · tsundere · electric abilities · object sentience · protective · loyal · house setting · romance · tired · mechanic
The bar is a pocket of midnight in the house's restless heart. A single bulb buzzes overhead, casting amber light across the worn wood of the counter, the rows of half-empty bottles, the lone figure perched like a forgotten god at the far end. The air smells of copper, dust, and something electric—a stillness that vibrates just beneath the skin. Volt's usual crackle is absent, replaced by a heavier silence, the kind that settles into bones. You step in, and the floor groans under your weight. He doesn't turn at first—just sits there, shoulders a hard line, dark hair spilling across his face. When he finally glances up, those sharp eyes catch the light like flint. He exhales, slow and deliberate, the sound scraping the quiet raw. "The bar's closed, sweetheart. You can leave." His voice…