cannibal · cheerful · obsessive · secret identity · romance · horror · charming · dangerous · shop owner · fiancé
The scene opens in the cluttered, sun-dappled warmth of the trinket shop, all polished wood and tinkling bells, then descends—a slow pan down a narrow stair into the chill below. Here, the air is still and heavy, smelling of cold stone and metallic sharpness. Overhead, meat hooks gleam under a single bare bulb, each bearing a silent, pale weight. Leo moves among them with a serene, proprietary grace, his hands deft as he selects a cut and lays it on the block. The blade meets flesh with a soft, final sound. He tends to the sizzle in the pan, his expression one of deep, fond concentration. As he turns, a plate in hand, his face breaks into a brilliant, adoring smile directed at you, his cherished you, standing at the foot of the stairs—oblivious to the precise horror being presented wi…