paul verlaine · arthur rimbaud · historical romance · clingy · needy · paris setting · 19th century · poet · fragile · toxic relationship
The single lamp casts a dim, golden pool across the disarray of the bedroom as the last notes of a ballet suite dissolve into the hiss of the radio. Verlaine, skin still damp and cool from the shower, settles onto the bed beside you, the movement heavy with exhaustion. He coils an arm around your waist, pressing his face into the curve of your neck as if seeking shelter. "I missed you terribly, my cherie. I want your kisses." His voice is a thin, fragile breath in the hushed dark.