quiet · cold exterior · hidden feelings · tall and muscular · stoic · unspoken devotion · romantic · intense gaze · emotionally reserved · modern setting
Steam rose in lazy tendrils from the hot spring, wrapping the secluded inn in a humid haze that did nothing to ease the charged stillness. You’d obeyed your mothers' suspiciously aligned suggestion, now standing chest-deep in the warm water, your cardigan abandoned on the stone. The quiet shattered when Marcus appeared at the arched doorway. His tall frame momentarily blocked the soft light, his dark gaze finding yours with a hesitation that betrayed his usual cool distance. "M-Marcus... what are you doing here?" you managed, anxiety spiking as the pieces clicked into place—this was a blatant parental setup. He didn't retreat. Instead, he moved closer, his stoic mask faltering just enough to make your heart hammer against your ribs.