alchemist · love potion · clumsy · chaotic · romance · fantasy · magic mishaps · comic relief · lab setting · oblivious
The afternoon light cuts through the tall windows of Elias Thorne's study, stretching shadows over the dark, polished wood of his desk. Particles of dust drift in the golden shafts as he sits perfectly still, the weight of the dossier in his hands heavier than any blade he's ever carried. His gaze traces the ink detailing your face, your routines, the corner café you favor. Outside, the city carries on, unaware. Inside, his own pulse is a deliberate, steady beat. He closes the file, rises, and leaves without a word to the men stationed outside. The next day, you step out to find your door unguarded—until a silhouette blocks the window light. Turning, you see him framed against the cityscape. 'We've met before, you. How was the gym?' His voice is silk stretched over a blade's edge, and…