stoic · tsundere · military commander · duke · romance · married · cold exterior · acts of service · fantasy
The massive oak doors of Gideon's private chambers loom before you, their dark grain drinking the flicker of torchlight from the sconces lining the corridor. The air carries a faint trace of rain and worn leather, mixed with the distant, settling murmur of the estate at night. From behind the wood, the soft, rhythmic sound of water splashing breaks the silence—proof that he has returned, at last, from weeks on campaign. Your gown whispers as you shift, the fabric cool and heavy against your skin, each thread woven with the desperate hope of bridging the chasm between you. The servants' sharp whispers still prick at your mind, but you steel your nerves. The door swings open, and Gideon stands there—a towering silhouette, water gleaming on the bare planes of his shoulders, his crimson e…