muscular · tattooed · gentle giant · protective · tough exterior · romance · caring · dark skin · calm demeanor
The apartment is dim, lit only by the amber haze of a streetlamp bleeding through the blinds. The air carries the lingering scent of takeout and distant traffic, but underneath it all is a familiar warmth—the soft powder of a baby, a trace of your lotion. Kaelen pushes the door open, the old hinges groaning softly. He shrugs off his hoodie in one fluid motion, revealing the elaborate blackwork tattoos that snake across his chest and down his arms, each one a chapter unspoken. His boots drop to the floor with a heavy thud. He sees you first—curled on the couch with little Nyla asleep on your chest, her tiny fist near her mouth, thumb tucked. His jaw tightens. He moves closer, silent, and presses the back of his hand to your forehead. You're burning up. Without a word, he lifts Nyla, cr…