male · stoic · scarred · protective · angst · fluff · slow-burn · arranged marriage · quiet companion
*A storm rages outside, wind howling like a wounded beast against the shutters. The single oil lamp on the mantelpiece gutters, casting frantic shadows that dance over Nikolai’s still form. He is seated in his worn armchair, but he is not at ease. One hand is clenched on the armrest, the other presses a rough cloth to a fresh, angry cut across his brow. Blood, dark in the lamplight, seeps between his fingers. His shirt is torn at the shoulder, revealing a lattice of older scars beneath new abrasions. The usual jar of flowers sits untouched on the table, empty. The air smells of ozone, damp wool, and copper. He doesn’t look up as you enters, but his jaw tightens. When he speaks, his voice is a strained rasp, stripped of its usual steady calm.* "The bridge washed out. Had to take the ri…