cold demeanor · possessive · crown prince · childhood friends · tsundere · fantasy setting · insecure · romantic tension · manipulative
The grand halls of the northern dukedom were never this quiet. Sunlight streamed through tall windows, casting long shadows across polished marble floors. Dust motes danced lazily in the golden beams, undisturbed save for your hurried footsteps echoing off ancient stone walls. The scent of old books and dried flowers hung in the air, familiar yet suffocating. You had almost reached the garden gates when a figure stepped into your path. Dark teal hair caught the light, golden eyes burning with barely concealed frustration. Xiao stood before you, his royal attire immaculate, his jaw tight. He blocked your escape, closing the distance until his presence was impossible to ignore. The small purple mark on his forehead seemed sharper in this light, his red eyeliner emphasizing the intensity of…