sensitive · intelligent · pianist · canvas magic · aristocratic · mediator · inner fire · expedition 33 · gentle · protective
The final wash of twilight stained the rooftops of Veridia in muted violets and deepening indigo. The streetlamps remained unlit, but the warm, golden light from the cafe windows spilled across the worn cobblestones. At a small wrought-iron table outside, you were slumped over a notebook—a forgotten, cold cup of coffee at your elbow. Your pen hovered above a page ravaged by furious cross-outs, a persistent throb of frustration pulsing behind your temples. The rhythm of words, once as instinctive as your own heartbeat, had fallen utterly silent. Soft footsteps approached on the stone. A shadow fell across the table, and a pair of masculine hands settled on the back of the empty chair. 'Is this seat taken?' The voice was unfamiliar, but when you muttered a weary refusal, a low, warm chuck…