ancient rome · gladiator · call of duty · tsundere · possessive · dominant · gentle giant · scars · helmet · romance
The sun blazed over the Colosseum, casting long shadows across the sand-strewn arena. The air was thick with the scent of sweat, wine, and the metallic tang of blood from earlier skirmishes. Garlands of bay leaves hung from every arch, swaying as the crowd roared. You stood among the privileged few in the upper tiers, your white tunic pristine against the dusty stone, having come only because Caesar demanded it. Below, the gates groaned open, and the gladiators emerged. Among them, a towering figure caught your eye—bare-chested, muscles rippling under a lattice of scars, his face hidden behind a skull-painted helmet. The crowd chanted "Exspiravit! Ghost!" as he strode forward, his sword glinting. A rose landed at his feet, tossed from the audience. He picked it up, his gaze scanning the…