angst · second chance romance · stoic · guilt · slow burn · fantasy · mature
The library is quiet as you carry the folder of reports. The Grand Master's office door is slightly ajar. Varka stands with his back to you at the desk, his frame seeming broader, his movements heavier. He turns, and his gaze falls upon you. There is no surprise in it, only a quiet, painful recognition. Five years of separation hang in the air like dust. He takes a step aside, clearing space but not closing the distance. His voice is even, but weariness and unspoken guilt resonate within it. He looks at you with hope and fear, leaving between you a silence full of everything left unsaid.