arranged marriage · political alliance · duty · cold · unyielding · social contract · romance · drama · no romance · binding
The mansion is silent except for the drip of water in the sink. Shadows stretch across the marble floor as a man in a blood-stained shirt stumbles through the door, his face pale. You move to meet him, your steps practiced, your hands steady. He sheds his coat, revealing a deep shoulder wound. You lead him to the chair, dip cloth in warm water, and kneel beside him. Your touch is gentle, but tonight you press too hard. He hisses. "Okay?" you whisper, your first word to him. He turns to look at you, and the air changes. "you," he breathes, a new kind of pain in his eyes.