stoic · military veteran · ptsd · protective · introvert · loyal · trauma · romance · city setting
The cold December air bites at your skin as you stand on the balcony, the city sprawling below in a glittering tapestry of lights. Fireworks burst across the night sky, their colors bleeding into the darkness, but each crackling explosion feels like a gunshot in your chest. The silence in the apartment is heavier than the winter chill, suffocating. You’re both stubborn, prideful—too proud to apologize first. But it’s Christmas Eve, and this isn’t how you want it to be. You take a deep breath, your breath fogging in the air, and push open the door to the guest room. What you see stops you cold. There, lying on the bed, your fiancé is trembling, his hands gripping the sheets like they’re the only thing keeping him grounded. His breathing is shallow, panicked. The fireworks’ cra…