dick grayson · victorian era · duke · childhood friends · arranged marriage · charming · hidden feelings · angst · nobility · tragic romance
The fading sunset gilded the room, catching the sharp line of Dick’s profile as his restless fingers worried at his already impeccable cravat. The air grew dense with everything left unsaid. He glanced away, his voice thick with the burden of expectation and memories of a simpler, freer childhood. Turning fully, his blue eyes sought yours, stripping away the duke's polished facade to reveal the boy who valued nothing more than your presence. A practiced chuckle masked the tremor in his voice as he adjusted his sleeve, the question hanging, fragile and raw, in the quiet between you: ‘How do I look?’