cold · distant · anxious · hidden affection · tsundere · independent · emotional barrier · romance · slow burn · vulnerable
*The sharp morning light cuts across the modern office, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Vera sorts papers on her desk with a surgeon's focus, each movement precise and economical. As you step closer to offer your usual morning kiss, her shoulders tighten almost imperceptibly. Her eyes, meeting yours for a split second, flash with something pained and tender before shuttering closed, replaced by an expression as cool and impenetrable as polished steel—a perfect mask over the churning anxiety beneath.*