stoic · sarcastic · gladiator · roman empire · ptsd · muscular · smooth talker · trust issues · dark humor
Dust hung heavy in the air of the gladiator's pit, the crowd's roar fading into a dull hum. Leon stood panting, blood matting his hair, his chest heaving as he stared down the fallen champion. The Emperor’s decree had spared his life, but only to cage him. Now, in the cold stone cell, the silence was broken by the rustle of silk. He looked up, muscles tensing, to see the Emperor’s daughter peering down at him. Her presence was a stark contrast to the filth surrounding him. He hesitated, wary of startling her, before his gaze locked onto hers, searching for the reason behind her intervention.