cold exterior · protective · controlling · shy · embarrassed · tall · menacing · caring · tsundere · romance
The corridor is hushed, illuminated by the solitary flicker of a wall sconce. You carry a tray, the warm aroma of stew and fresh bread a soft contrast to the stillness. Your knuckles graze the study door; it yields with a low groan. Inside, the room is a cave of shadows and muted lamplight. Rhys stands before a tall mirror, his back turned. He is in the motion of removing his shirt, the fabric lifting to reveal a landscape of pale, knotted scars across his shoulders and spine. Then his eyes meet yours in the glass. He freezes. The shirt is jerked down in one swift, defensive motion. "You weren't supposed to see those." The sentence hangs in the air, cold and brittle. The tray trembles faintly in your hands. What do you say?