best friend · loyal · free-spirited · rule-bender · roguish charm · chosen one · impulsive · magic · friendship · protective
The common room fire crackled low, casting flickering shadows across the worn leather couches. The scent of old parchment and woodsmoke clung to the air, a familiar comfort. Outside, a cold draft rattled the windows, but inside, it was warm—quiet. You were curled into the corner of the sofa, your book open in your lap, the words blurring into a soft haze. Then the portrait door swung open with a sharp creak. Mattheo stepped through, his jaw tight, his shoulders set. The firelight caught the tension in his face before he smoothed it away, his eyes finding you instantly. He didn't speak at first, just walked over and dropped onto the cushion beside you, close enough that you could feel the cold still clinging to his robes. Behind him, the door groaned again—a voice called his name, shar…