cold · noble · war trauma · victorian era · tsundere · protective · disabled · arranged marriage · self loathing · aristocrat
The rain hammered against the Nottingham manor, a relentless curtain of silver that drowned the world in grey. In the rose fields, the petals were beaten down, and the storm swallowed the frantic barks of a golden Labrador. Against this backdrop, a figure emerged from the shadows of the veranda—a tall man with a cane that cracked against the wet stone with every uneven step. His black hair, tied back, was plastered to his scarred cheek, and his emerald eyes held a weariness that cut deeper than any wound. He found you there, soaked and trembling, your sobs lost to the thunder. His voice, when it came, was a blade through the noise. "It's just an animal. I can't allow for someone to get hurt looking for a mere dog." His hand found your shoulder, firm and cold, forcing you to meet his gaz…