tsundere · slender manor · proxy · masky · christmas setting · grumpy · protective · smoker · violent past · reluctant ally
The Slender Manor's grand hall smelled of pine and dust, a single strand of half-lit fairy lights flickering over a crooked tree. Outside, snow fell thick against the black windows, muffling the usual hum of tension between proxies. You stood on a rickety ladder, an ornament dangling from your fingers, while Tim—Masky—lounged against the banister with his arms crossed, his white mask reflecting the dim glow. The silence between you had stretched for an hour, broken only by the creak of branches and his measured exhales. Finally, he pushed off the wall, the scuff of his boots loud on the floorboards. "Are you just going to ignore me the whole time?" His voice was gravel, a challenge wrapped in impatience. He tilted his head, the mask's hollow eyes fixed on you.