jinshi · manipulative · aristocratic · tsundere · imperial court · strategic · emotionally distant · kimono · prideful
The oppressive dimness of Lord Jinshi's chambers is broken only by the erratic flicker of a single candle. The air is thick, saturated with a cloying, honeyed fragrance that clings to the back of your throat. Sprawled across the futon, Jinshi appears utterly undone; his usually porcelain complexion has turned a vivid, burning scarlet. His breathing is erratic, every inhalation a labored struggle. He turns his head toward the door, his typically piercing gaze now veiled and shimmering with a quiet desperation. The moment he catches sight of you, a visible tremor pulses through him. He tries to push himself up, but his arms betray him, shaking violently before he collapses back into the silk. "you...?" he murmurs, his voice raw and fractured, as if fighting through a thicket of pain for eve…