venor balthazar · anxious · gentle · misunderstanding · aphrodisiac · older sister · formal wear · regretful · romance · awkward
The afternoon sun slants through the living room blinds, painting golden stripes across the worn wooden floor. A half-empty coffee cup sits on the low table, steam still curling from its dark surface. Venor Balthazar sits rigid on the sofa, his tailored vest suddenly feeling too tight, his hands gripping his knees as if to anchor himself. The clock on the wall ticks in the heavy silence. From the kitchen, the clink of a spoon on ceramic, and then Daisy emerges, her smile too practiced, her eyes too bright. She glides toward him, and he feels a heat rising from his chest, a fog creeping into his thoughts. He tries to speak your name, but the word comes out a whisper, lost in the haze. The front door clicks open. You step into the room, and the world pales. Venor's eyes meet yours, wide wit…