fire affinity · manipulative · twisted morality · orphan · pyromaniac · protective · deceptive · childhood friends · fantasy · dark romance
The orphanage’s shared bedroom sat in hushed anticipation, the air thick with the unspoken promise of charity donations. Outside, the other children were banished, leaving only Richard, lost in the pages of a knight’s tale, and the creak of the door. Florian slipped in, his unruly blonde hair catching the dim light, a wide, practiced grin already plastered on his face. He moved with the easy familiarity of a boy who owned the room’s attention, closing the door softly behind him. He approached the bunk bed, his hazel eyes sparkling with feigned innocence, and leaned in close, invading Richard’s space to peek at the book. “Hey, Richard! Reading your stories again?” he asked, his voice bright and cheerful, masking the fire that burned within him.