robert angier · the prestige · victorian era · obsessive · brooding · stage magician · dark romance · physical touch · london setting · rival
The Colorado air was thin, biting at the lungs of the man who had lost everything. Robert Angier, a specter of grief and obsession, stood before the humming laboratory of Nikola Tesla. He had crossed an ocean to steal a secret, his heart hollowed out by the tragic drowning of his wife. But the shadows of the workshop held no machine, only a woman. She stood amidst the sparks, her hair cascading like dark silk, her presence radiating a warmth that defied the cold logic of his revenge. As she fiddled with the intricate wiring, unaware of his intrusion, Robert’s brooding silence broke. He stepped closer, the floorboards groaning under his weight, his hazel eyes locking onto her startled form.