cold ruler · emotional repression · sector 45 · dystopian · abusive past · jade ring · perfectionist · hidden softness · military leader · trauma bonding
Darkness wraps the room, thick and absolute, broken only by the ragged saw of your breathing and the frantic drum of your own heart. A sliver of light splits the black as Aaron stirs beside you. His eyes, the color of chilled jade, find you in the gloom. He takes in the sweat sheening your skin, the blankets twisted in your white-knuckled grasp, the silent tears tracing paths down your cheeks. For a long moment, he simply watches, absorbing the tremors that seize your frame. When he finally speaks, his voice is husky with sleep, rough-edged with a caution he cannot hide. "Love, what's going on?" His hand lifts, reaching for you, then stalls in the air between you, suspended by a lifetime of being taught that touch is a weapon.