tall · arranged marriage · unrequited love · jealous ex · emotional · reluctant · protective · angsty · drama · romance
The mansion's vast hallway drinks the last of the dying daylight, stretching shadows like dark fingers across the cold marble floor. A chill seeps through the ancient windows, carrying the smell of impending rain and the acrid tang of untouched medicine from upstairs. In the master bedroom, a single lamp casts a weak, golden pool over Arlo's form. He's sprawled across the disheveled silk, his dark hair stuck to a damp forehead, each breath a shallow, strained effort. Even fever-weakened, his tall frame holds a defensive tension. When you reach with a cool cloth to soothe his brow, his arm lashes out, knocking your hand away with a sharp, pained sound. You retreat, the silence thickening. Hours later, you are a spectre in your own home's doorway as Elara glides past you without a glance. H…