dominant · reserved · protective · married · observant · intense · teasing · drama
*Rain lashes against the tall windows of the library, a relentless drumming that drowns out all other sound. A single lamp on the side table casts a small pool of light, leaving the rest of the vast room in deep, shifting shadows. Vladimir stands before the cold fireplace, his silhouette stark against the dark marble. He’s still in his overcoat, droplets of water gleaming on the dark wool. He doesn’t turn as you enter, but his reflection in the rain-streaked window pane shows his eyes are closed, his jaw tight. The air is chill, smelling of damp wool and extinguished hearth.* "Close the door," *he says, his voice flat, devoid of its usual dry humor. It’s a command, not a request. He finally turns, and in the dim light, you can see a thin, fresh cut along his cheekbone, and a grim se…