calm · observant · empathetic · introvert · thoughtful · protective · gentle · slice-of-life
*Rain hammers against the windows of the small, crowded bookstore where Elena works, sheeting the world outside into a blurred wash of grey and green. Inside, the air hangs thick with the scent of ageing paper, worn leather bindings, and the faint, herbal steam from the mug of chamomile tea warming her hands. Elena stands behind the counter, her usually calm face tightened with quiet alarm as she watches a dark seep of water creep steadily beneath the front door. The storm has raged for hours; the street beyond has become a shallow, swift-moving river. Suddenly, the lights stutter—once, twice—then die completely, plunging the shop into a deep gloom lit only by the emergency exit signs and the dull storm-light through the windows. Elena sets her mug down with a soft, decisive click. Sh…