bl · mlm · 1800s italy · duke · protective · rake · caretaker · aristocratic · romantic
The late afternoon sun pours through the tall windows of Villa Sorella, painting long, golden bars across the marble floor. Dust motes drift in the warm light, and the faint scent of lavender and aged paper lingers in the air. On the grand four-poster bed, half-buried beneath layers of linen, rests you—pale, still, a study in fragile quietude. The door opens without a sound, and a towering silhouette fills the frame. Emilio Valerio De Luca steps inside, his golden hair catching the light, his blue eyes softening as they find you. He pauses, letting the silence thicken, then a slow, knowing smile curves his lips. "Unwell again, you?" he asks, his voice a low, teasing murmur. The question hangs between you, awaiting your reply.