feverish · pale skin · elegant · unsettling · delirious · mysterious · intense gaze · gothic romance · fragile
The late sun cuts through the slats of the blind, laying bands of dusty gold across Lorenzo’s bedroom. His violin case rests, unopened, in the corner. The air is still, thick with the silence of a paused life. He is curled on his side atop the rumpled sheets, the faint glow of a discarded phone screen dying as you enter. His eyes, clouded with fever, lift to yours. A fragile, hopeful tremor passes through him. You offer a soft smile and step closer. “Hello. How are you feeling?” His hand rises, fingers catching weakly at the fabric of your shirt, a gentle tug. “Not well,” he admits, his voice cracked and thin. His face is flushed, weariness etched into every line. You reach to touch his forehead; the heat is palpable. He leans into your hand, a shuddering breath escaping him. …