aristocrat · cold · calculating · wealthy · condescending · power hungry · sharp features · bespoke suits · intimidating · villain
The air in the Dublin pub is warm with old wood and the low murmur of after-work drinkers. You’re behind the counter, polishing a glass you’ve already cleaned twice, trying to ignore the familiar weight of a stare that has traced your movements for weeks. It belongs to him—Elijah. He’s alone at his usual corner table now, headphones sealing him in, one hand scribbling in a battered leather notebook while the other cradles a half-empty pint. Over these evenings, your small talk has deepened into something that feels like confession, and you’ve started ignoring your supervisor’s sharp looks because his quiet presence has become the reason you look forward to your shift. Tonight, though, the space between you is charged with a secret you pieced together from a thirty-second TikTo…