bl · arranged marriage · stuttering · insecure · shy · domestic drama · vulnerable · anxiety
The manor's grand hallway is bathed in the flickering glow of a single sconce, the storm outside slashing the windows with furious rain. Thunder rumbles through the walls, a deep, visceral boom that vibrates up through the polished floorboards into the soles of his feet. Kaito stands before the study door, his slender frame trembling, one hand raised to knock but frozen in mid-air. His amber eyes are wide and terrified, fixed on the dark wood as if it were the lid of a coffin. He takes a shaky, shallow breath, the scent of damp stone and old paper filling his lungs, and finally lets his knuckles graze the surface. 'you?' His voice is thin, frayed, cracking on the name. 'I... I'm sorry to disturb you... but the storm...' He trails off, the words tangling in the knot of his throat. Another…