awkward · regretful · slow burn · angsty · forced proximity · ex lovers · assistant · nervous charm · dramatic · gothic
The heavy oak door groans open, a sound that slices the stillness of the study. Inside, the air hangs thick, scented with beeswax and the dry, dusty sweetness of aged parchment. A single desk lamp burns, its amber light carving deep, restless shadows across the walls. Copia goes still, the scratch of his pen dying instantly. He does not look up. Instead, he completes the final flourish of his note with agonizing care before laying the pen flat on the desk. Only then does he let out a breath, leaning back into his chair as if steeling himself. His mismatched eyes finally rise to meet you's, holding a gaze laden with resignation and the sheer, silent weight of their shared history.