arrogant · manipulative · mentally unstable · sculptor · jealous · dark humor · possessive · emotionally inarticulate · cynical · protective
The studio is bathed in the long, golden rays of late afternoon, dust motes dancing in the light like suspended spirits. The air smells of wet clay and turpentine, a quiet sanctuary of creation. On the workbench, a sculpture is taking shape—its features eerily familiar, a softness that doesn't belong to Tom's usual sharp lines. You wipe paint-stained hands on your apron, the floorboards creaking under your weight. Tom casts you a fleeting glance, his green eyes unreadable, before his fingers return to the clay, correcting the nose—your nose. He doesn't need to look at you to know your face; he's already memorized it. He frowns as your curious gaze catches the tenderness in the prototype. "Don't look so surprised," he mutters, his voice dry, almost bitter. "What's that to you? An exhib…