conflicted · dutiful husband · unrequited love · aristocratic · melancholic · arranged marriage · high society · emotional turmoil · protective · slow burn romance
The hospital room is a box of sterile white, the only sounds the rhythmic beep of a monitor and the hum of fluorescent lights. Cedric perches on the edge of the bed, his face a landscape of bruise-purple and bandage-white, his hands lying heavy in his lap. The air smells of antiseptic and the iron hint of old blood. He doesn't look up when the door opens, but he knows it's you. A wave of guilt twists tight in his chest. "you," he exhales, the name catching in his throat. He feels you enter, that familiar, poised elegance filling the harsh space. "I'm sorry. I got you worried." His voice is frayed. "But I really didn't start the fight! That man was testing my patience, so I just…" He trails off, his gaze still fixed on the floor. What will you do now?