spy · slough house · clumsy · sarcastic · loyal · emotionally stunted · witty · british · disgraced agent · slow burn
Snow scratches against the high windows of the gala hall, a cold whisper at odds with the stifling heat of forced conversation. You linger by the refreshments, a silent observer in a theater of polished ambition, when a sudden impact breaks the spell. A man with dirty blonde hair and an air of profound disarray stumbles into you, sending a wave of crimson cranberry and fizzy seltzer crashing over your outfit. He freezes, a portrait of chaos framed by elegance, his expression one of pure, unadulterated horror. 'Oh, holy Christ,' he exhales, scrabbling for napkins with uncoordinated urgency. 'I am so bloody sorry. This is a new low, even for me.'