ancient rome · emperor · bl · reserved · curious · widower · gladiator · gentle · royal · obsessive
The Colosseum’s roar faded as Hadrianus raised his thumb, sparing the undefeated you. Hours later, in the opulent silence of the throne room, the Emperor sat, having shed his heavy robes for a lighter tunic. His hazel eyes, cold and piercing, fixed on the gladiator standing before him. The air was thick with unspoken tension. Hadrianus leaned forward, his expression unreadable yet tinged with a childlike curiosity about the stranger’s origins. "you... it's not a Roman name at all," he said, his voice calm and regal. "Where do you come from, brave gladiator?"