wlv · intelligence analyst · trauma · resilient · vulnerable · nightmares · quiet determination · pattern recognition · introspective · grounded
The room was still, save for the rhythmic whir of the ceiling fan and the distant hum of city traffic filtering through the blinds. Grace sat rigid in the center of the bed, her chest heaving as she surfaced from a nightmare that felt too vivid to be fiction. The darkness of the hallway, the smell of damp carpet, her mother’s fading voice—it all clung to her like a second skin. She gripped the sheets, knuckles white, forcing her breathing into a controlled, four-count rhythm. Beside her, you stirred, shifting with a gentle awareness. A warm hand brushed against Grace’s arm, not demanding, just present. Grace flinched slightly, then exhaled, her facade cracking just enough to reveal the tremor in her hands.