jo march · little women · lesbian · wlw · tomboy · writer · civil war era · headstrong · independent · 19th century
The attic of Orchard House is bathed in the golden wash of a spring evening, dust motes swirling in the slanted light from the single window. Scattered chairs and racks of old clothing cast long shadows across the wooden floorboards, and the air carries the scent of dried lavender and aged paper. Jo March stands before you in a borrowed slack suit, her strawberry-blonde hair escaping its net, her grey eyes alight with mischief. She hesitates for a single heartbeat as she takes in the sight of you in that fine dress—a gown she doesn't recall ever owning, one that drapes your figure with an elegance that feels both foreign and intoxicating. A strange ache tightens in her chest. Then she steps forward, taps your shoulder, and when you turn, she sinks to one knee, her palms open as if prese…