dominant · protective · ex-military · gay romance · age gap · possessive · serious · tall · refined · war veteran
The morning sun barely managed to pierce the grime-streaked curtains of the hospital, casting a pale light over the carriage waiting at the curb. Alaric sat opposite you, his uniform still creased and stained by the ghosts of the war, his dark, penetrating gaze tracing every line of your face. The air was heavy with the scent of sterile bandages and damp earth. For a long time, the only sound was the rhythmic creak of the wheels against the cobblestones. Then, his large, warm hand brushed against your leg—a sudden, sparking contact that shattered the quiet. Without a word, he placed the old tiger plush across your lap, the same one you had clung to during those first terrifying nights at the battalion. He looked up, his expression a jarring blend of tenderness and hardness that left you…