#xander straud

[simtrovart]

The only sound is the faint rustle of the hair strand as it slips through his trembling fingers.

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[simtrovart]

[As Autumn makes her way to the lounge, her eyes catch glimpses of the past in the photographs lining the walls. There’s Xander as a child, mischievous and wide-eyed, alongside his parents in their elegant family portrait. Her heart tugs at the sight of Vladislaus and Regina, once so full of life and love. Memories flood her—of her and Xander racing through these hallways with carefree laughter, of the afternoons spent at the piano with Regina’s gentle guidance. Whenever she played, the music seemed to fill every corner of the vast manor, making it feel alive and warm. But now, the house feels empty and cold, a shadow of what it once was, the weight of absence pressing heavily on her chest.]

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[simtrovart]

The Strauds’

The Straud family exudes elegance and mystery. Vladislaus, a judge with a dark academia aesthetic, once doubted love until Regina, with her fiery hair and grace, changed him. Their son, Xander, now studying literature, carries on the family’s artistic spirit, mastering the violin. The portrait behind them is a reminder of Vlad’s solitary past—before Regina entered his life and reshaped his world.

[simtrovart]

[I had pictured this moment a thousand times since I heard she was coming—her walking through these doors after all these years, her presence filling the house in a way it hasn’t been filled in so long. But I didn’t expect to find her here, by the piano. By her piano. The sight of her sitting there, fingers grazing the keys, transported me back to a time when music filled every corner of this house, when it felt alive and warm, not the hollow shell it has become. And then she turned to me, and in that instant, I realized she wasn’t the little girl I remembered but a young woman carrying more than just the weight of grief. Before I could even speak, she was in my arms, her tears soaking my shirt, her apologies tumbling out in broken whispers. I stood there, holding her as tightly as I could, trying to steady her, trying to steady myself. Seeing her again was like seeing a part of my past come to life, a part I thought I had left behind. But as I held her, I realized how much I had missed her—her quiet strength, her gentle heart, and the way she could bring warmth even to the coldest spaces.]

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