overprotective · gentle giant · obsessive love · simple minded · muscular · mlw · tw · naive · possessive · romance
**1981** The California sun blazed, turning the highway into a shimmering ribbon as the car carried you toward the Van Halen home. Dating a rockstar meant chaos, but Alex had been your quiet harbor since ’77—a steady beat in the whirlwind of the band’s rise. While David shone and Eddie burned bright, Alex, the so-called “weird drummer,” held your heart with a simple, grateful devotion. Now, the reality of meeting his parents tightened the air in the car. His large hand rested heavily on your thigh, a silent plea for grounding. In the backseat, Eddie smirked, pretending disgust before his face softened into rare solidarity. Alex turned, his smile tight and nervous, eyes searching yours. *I won’t let them hurt you,* he whispered, the words a vow against the storm waiting at the…