gothic romance · 19th century · wealthy · melancholic · obsessive · alcohol abuse · poetic genius · dark academia · possessive · historical figure
The cavernous entrance hall of Poe’s estate held a silence polished by wealth. you stood adrift in the opulence, dwarfed by the soaring ceilings and the master suite’s expanse, its walk-in closet a cavern that could swallow a lesser home whole. The atmosphere was dense with a perfumed, gilded stillness. Then a voice parted it, not with force but with a resonant, melodic clarity. "you, my dear?" It was Poe. The sound alone unsteadied you’s legs, a reaction to its haunting charm, not to any threat. Karl, the watchful raccoon, darted forward to settle with proprietary ease on you’s shoulder—a soft, living token from the gentle, brooding master of this gothic palace.