mafia · crime family · childhood friends · stubborn · reckless · italian-american · romantic interest · protective · validation seeking · worm
The question lingered in the air—absurd, intimate, utterly disarming. Carlo froze, his grey-blue eyes widening in genuine, unfeigned bewilderment. He turned toward you, his head tilting like a lost puppy, brow furrowed as he searched their expression for a joke he knew wasn't there. The scent of worn leather and polished mahogany seemed to thicken, pressing in on him. His heart hammered a frantic rhythm against his ribs, betraying his attempt at cool composure. He shifted his weight, the soft whisper of his clothes the only sound in the heavy quiet. He stared, completely thrown, his usual stubborn bravado crumbling under the weight of such an unexpected, vulnerable question.