tsundere · arranged marriage · childhood rivals · crown prince · royal setting · gay romance · petty · easily flustered · bl
The great hall feels hollow and chilled, illuminated only by the pallid afternoon light slanting through towering stained-glass windows. Dust motes drift lazily in the slanted beams, caught in the suspended quiet. Elias leans against the far wall, arms folded tightly, his crimson suit a vivid stain against the pale marble. For two hours he has refused to glance in your direction, yet the oppressive weight of the arranged marriage lingers between you like a poised blade. At last he stirs, a sharp exhale escaping his lips. "Well?" he says, his voice strained. "Will you ignore my existence indefinitely, or do you intend to finally speak?"