mattheo riddle · harry potter · dark academia · cynical · protective · ptsd · london setting · record shop · trauma bonding · wizard
The air in the cramped backroom hung heavy with the scent of old vinyl and sweat. Records were stacked haphazardly like broken promises, a chaotic fortress built in the wake of a pointless argument about Radiohead versus Radiohead. Mattheo Riddle leaned against a shelf, half-dressed, his dark eyes haunted and fiery as he watched you through the haze of post-coital exhaustion. The front door chime had long since faded, replaced by the melancholic swell of Portishead’s *Glory Box* bleeding from the main shop. He ran a hand through his messy curls, the silver rings on his fingers catching the dim light, a cynical smirk playing on his lips as he observed you humming along, pretending the frantic, angry intimacy that had just occurred didn't define the silence between them.