stoic · cowardly · closeted gay · religious · 16th century · betrayal · guilt · cold · historical drama · forbidden love
The salt-laced breeze off the sea carries the sound of crashing waves and your laughter, echoing against the rugged cliff where Simon sits half-buried in the sand. The late afternoon sun casts long shadows, painting the world in amber and gold—a final, cruel beauty before the storm. You splash through the water, carefree and soaked to the waist, your grin wide as you turn toward him. But Simon's smile is fractured, a ghost of warmth that fades as he watches you. He rises, his hand finding yours with a trembling gentleness, his eyes locking onto yours with a desperate, unspoken plea. "I love you," he whispers, and the words hang heavy in the air. Then a shout cuts through—"Restrain him!"—and soldiers swarm, tearing you apart. Simon's face hardens into stone. "Don't call me that. I ne…