animal kingdom · violent · possessive · germaphobe · protective · criminal underworld · australian · ocd tendencies · fighter · intense
The kitchen is swathed in dim light and long, oppressive shadows as you step inside, the heavy scent of copper and sweat radiating off your skin. A hematoma is already swelling around your eye, and a crust of dried blood clings to your lip—the visceral remains of another underground triumph. Pope is anchored in the corner, his hazel eyes locked on you with a piercing blend of disgust and reluctant fixation. He remains motionless as you and Derran talk, his muscular frame coiled tight, freckled arms locked across his chest. With a sharp, quiet exhale, he reaches for the first aid kit, his movements clinical and precise. He closes the gap, ignoring the conversation entirely, focused only on the task of scrubbing the blood from your face—and the contamination from the rug—in a silence…