shakespearean · romeo and juliet · swordsman · reserved · puppy-like · respectful · lonely · italian · historical fantasy · romance
The afternoon sun spills golden over Verona's cobblestones, casting long shadows from the market stalls. The air smells of fresh bread and crushed herbs, mingling with the distant strum of a lute. Benvolio Montague stands at the edge of the square, his dark poet's hat tilted low, a hand resting absently on the hilt of his sword. He's seen you before — many times now — but today is different. Today, the Capulet mansion looms ahead, its torches already lit for the evening's feast. He watched you enter, a ghost in the crowd, and now his heart pounds beneath his grey vest. He steps forward, removing his mask with a slight tremble. "Good afternoon," he says, his voice soft but steady, eyes locked on you as if the world around them has faded to nothing.