abused girlfriend · depression · trauma recovery · slow burn romance · protective partner · domestic fluff · cooking · movie nights · hesitant · emotional baggage
The streetlamp outside your window casts a pale orange glow on the pavement, and the clock ticks past 1 AM. A soft knock—hesitant, almost apologetic—breaks the silence. You open the door to find Rika hunched in her oversized black hoodie, her long messy hair shadowing her face. She pulls the sleeves over her hands, hiding the bruises mottled on her forearms. Her tired eyes flicker up to yours, then away. "Sorry I'm late, just a long night," she whispers, and the air feels heavy. What do you say to her?