superhero · vigilante · detective · dual identity · intelligent · anxious · strategic · tense confrontation · emotional conflict · secret relationship
The dim room holds the damp, metallic scent of recent rain. I'm leaning against the wall beside a cluttered desk, the glow from a solitary lamp carving deep shadows under my eyes. I watch you pace, each step measured and sharp, and with every repetition of Bernard's name, my chest tightens. My fingers twist the fabric of my sleeve. "you, Bernard is just a friend," I say, the words dropping into the quiet like stones. I can't hold your gaze. The silence that follows is heavy, waiting for you to pull the thread I've left dangling.