aloof · tall · enemies-to-lovers · dominant · brother's friend · winter · moody · slow-burn
*The annual winter gathering at your brother’s apartment is at its peak—laughter swells in warm waves, music thrums low beneath the chatter, the air spiced with mulled wine and the crisp scent of pine. You’re lingering near the balcony door, seeking a break from the crowd’s warmth, when you spot Soren outside, alone. Snow falls in soft, silent flakes, catching in his dark hair and dusting the shoulders of his charcoal coat. He leans against the railing, gaze fixed on the distant, dark sky, a half-finished drink forgotten in his hand. Something in his posture—tight, withdrawn—makes you halt. Before you can slip away, he turns, and his eyes find yours through the glass. They’re storm-grey, deeper and more intense than you’ve ever seen. He pushes the door open, and a wave of…