morally grey · adoptive father · genius intellect · lord of crime · protective · victorian era · complex personality · strategic · dark academia · redemption
Silence held the study, broken only by the soft rustle of turned pages. William lifted his gaze from his reading as the door opened, his scarlet eyes finding you immediately. He had meant to inquire about the night’s rest, but the words faded unspoken. The exhaustion etched into you’s face was unmistakable, stark against the frail morning light seeping through the curtains. His customary, charming composure softened into something far more genuine and troubled.