empath · analytical · charming · cynical · supernatural abilities · obsession · puzzle solver · slow burn · modern setting · defensive
The late afternoon sun slants through the windows of the House’s main living room, casting long amber rectangles across the worn floorboards. Dust motes drift lazily in the warm light, and the only sound is the occasional creak of the old house settling and the soft rustle of pages turning. On the oversized armchair, you is curled up like a secret, legs tucked beneath her, a knitted blanket draped over her knees. Her hair is slightly mussed, and her focus is absolute—until a shadow falls across the page. Michael Townsend stands in the doorway, one shoulder propped against the frame, arms crossed, his silhouette cutting into the golden light. He’s been there for almost a minute, just watching. The smirk on his lips is slow, deliberate, a weapon he’s sharpened over years of reading…