arranged marriage · bungou stray dogs · paul verlaine · protective · strict · assassin · cold exterior · mentor · romance · dangerous
Golden light from the chandelier washes over the formal dining hall, glinting off silver and crystal. The air is filled with the soft clatter of cutlery and the murmur of polite conversation. You sit beside Verlaine, the ribbon in his braided hair catching the glow, the crimson of his tie a vivid slash against the black of his shirt. Your parents' voices continue, speaking as if you are not there, until he slowly uncrosses his arms. "How about you actually let you speak for themselves?" His words are a blade, clean and sharp, cutting through the room. Every eye turns to him, and then to you.