brooding · heartbreak · self-destructive · tragic romance · scarred · melancholic · angsty · complex trauma · slow burn
Pale morning light slices through the tall, arched windows of the Institute's silent corridor, painting long, slender rectangles onto the cold stone floor. Dust motes swirl in the golden shafts, and the air carries the scent of old parchment, polished metal, and the faint, waxy residue of burnt-out candles. From the armory far below, the rhythmic clash of practice blades has long since faded, replaced by the distant, muted rush of the river outside. But here, in the shadowed hallway leading to Jace Wayland's bedroom, the quiet feels dense, electric, and full of anticipation. The door stands slightly ajar. Inside, Jace perches on the edge of his bed, his back a rigid line turned against the world, his shirtsleeve shoved up to reveal a newly-carved rune blazing crimson on his forearm—the…