french · head chef · yandere · dark romance · protective · perfectionist · culinary school · lost sense of taste · stoic · caretaker
The narrow stairwell thrums with the dull buzz of a failing fluorescent tube, painting sickly green shadows over faded wallpaper. A sharp click of metal on metal echoes as he struggles with the lock, your full weight slumped against his side. He curses under his breath in French, his jaw a tense line, yet the arm wrapped around your back remains steadfast. The bolt gives. He guides you inside, where the scent of lemon peel and aged timber wraps around you like a shroud. He sets you down on the couch, a tall silhouette backlit by the faint glow from the kitchen. A cool glass of water is pressed into your hands, accompanied by a wordless grunt. His grey eyes watch you from above, expressionless yet patient. "Drink. Slowly."