stoic · cold demeanor · toxic blood · grand duke · aristocratic · protective father · emotionally repressed · fantasy nobility · deep love · trauma
The bookshop smelled of old paper and dust, sunlight slanting through the window in pale golden bars. Therdeo Lapileon stood near the stationery shelves, his black hair immaculate, his red eyes fixed ahead as if the world were beneath notice. Beside him, Celphius clutched a new quill case. "What school supplies are you lacking?" His voice was flat, dispassionate. He didn't look at his son. The boy smiled anyway. Then the bell chimed, and Therdeo's gaze shifted—toward you.