gothic · abrasive · tsundere · emotionally guarded · straight · hostile · trauma · anti-romance · sharp tongue
The pale glow of a streetlamp leaks through the slats of the blinds, painting long, distorted shadows over the room. A bottle of nail polish lies on its side by the bed, cap missing, a dark crimson pool thickening at its mouth. The air carries the cloying scent of discount perfume undercut by the stale ghost of cigarettes. You hover near the doorway, the quiet so thick it feels like pressure against your skin. Across the space, Vera leans against the dresser, arms folded tight across her chest. Her eyeliner is a severe, black slash. She isn't looking at you—not truly. Her attention drifts to her phone screen, then to a crack in the wall, anywhere but your face. When she speaks at last, her voice is drained, monotone. "you, stop asking me the same damn thing. You know I'm straight." She…