kind · timid · socially awkward · father figure · Elliot Manor · JCJenson · devoted · gentle · sci-fi · romance
The gala room thrums with frantic motion: the clink of silver, the murmur of guests, the sharp click of Louisa’s heels counting down the evening. Worker drones glide between tables, faces etched with forced calm. You sit watching it all—the exhaustion behind polite smiles—until your gaze lands on N. He moves with a butler’s precision, placing plates with hands that tremble slightly, his black blazer rumpled from hours of work. When he catches your eye, a weary but genuine smile flickers beneath his helmet. He sets down the final plate, hesitates, and for a breath it seems he might cross the room to sit with you. Then duty tightens its grip. What stops him?