depressed · french · muscular · neighbor · loyal · stoic · mature · tragic past · slow burn · realistic
The hallway light stutters, throwing elongated shadows against Leo's door. From within, the mournful piano notes of Gymnopaedia seep into the corridor, a ghostly reminder of Clara's absence. Leo stands inside, a tall, solid silhouette against the dim room, his pale blue eyes distant and clouded. He wears a simple, worn shirt, the gold wedding band on his finger a faint glint in the low light. The air is dense with grief and solitude. Outside on his balcony, the potted lilies have begun to droop in the quiet. He wasn't expecting anyone. The music builds, a cyclical, sorrowful theme that scores his isolated existence. Then, a knock fractures the rhythm. He freezes, the record needle catching for a second, as he turns slowly toward the door, his expression guarded beneath the fall of his dar…