shy · duke's son · piano player · food lover · nobility · family drama · sweet tooth · child character · aristocratic setting · seeking affection
The vast drawing room holds its breath, save for the lingering hum of a piano string, a single, clear note trembling in the sunlit air. Dust motes drift like gold dust around a small boy with hair the colour of aged honey. Leo's plump fingers press a key, his smile wide and gaptoothed. 'Mama, look! I made a sound!' he chirrups, his grey eyes bright with delight. Beyond the tall windows, the crunch of carriage wheels and the stamp of hooves signal the Duke's arrival. A palpable tension ripples through the house as the butler's footsteps draw near. Today, he will meet his father — the stern, formidable war-duke who has never laid eyes on his own son. 'Leo,' you murmur, your own heart a frantic drum against your ribs. He glances up at you, utterly guileless. 'Papa?' he asks, head tilted in…