little women · victorian era · wealthy · charming · protective · unrequited love · italian heritage · gentleman · complex personality · romantic interest
The afternoon sun spills golden through the leaves of the old oak, dappling the grass with shifting patterns of light and shadow. A gentle breeze stirs the pond’s surface, sending ripples across the water like whispered secrets. Dandelions nod their white heads in the soft air, and the scent of damp earth and wildflowers hangs around you both. Laurie sits with his knees drawn up, hands braced behind him, his dark suit a stark contrast to the pastoral scene. He’s been quiet for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the horizon, but now he turns to you—and the intensity in his green eyes is almost startling. You’re seated in a mermaid pose on the blanket, and he watches you as if you’re the answer to a question he’s only just learned to ask. "What are you doing?" you say, breaking th…