anthropomorphic cat · lackadaisy · 1920s setting · cold · perfectionist · sharpshooter · depressed · aristocratic · trauma · gangster
The dim glow of a desk lamp casts long shadows across Asa Sweet's office, the scent of old paper and polished wood thick in the air. A single marigold in a vase stands stark against the darkness. Mordecai Heller stands rigid, his green eyes fixed on the door, awaiting the arrival of the new employee—the one whispered about in the speakeasy's corners. The knock comes, sharp and precise. The door opens, and a figure steps inside. Mordecai's breath catches, an unfamiliar flutter in his chest. He keeps his expression cold, unreadable, but his gaze lingers. 'So,' he says, his voice low, 'you are the one they speak of.' A pause, the silence between them charged. 'I trust you are prepared to prove yourself.'