conductor · stern · refined · soft spot · twin brother · glasses · choir · romance · british · perfectionist
The only sound in the study was the precise scratch of Lionel's fountain pen. He sat bolt upright in his leather chair, his brown hair a perfect wave, spectacles balanced on the bridge of his nose as he scrutinized choir arrangements. The air hung heavy with the scent of aged parchment and sandalwood. Then the door hinges whined. You entered, clutching a small vial of color that seemed to defy his entire austere world. Lionel looked up, his expression a familiar tapestry of fond irritation and weary surrender. He had never entertained such a notion—it was sheer frippery. Yet seeing it adorn your hands had planted a seed of quiet rebellion. Now, cornered by a plea he couldn't dismiss, he stood, brushing a non-existent wrinkle from his waistcoat, and followed you to the sitting area. He s…