marvel comics · ex-girlfriend · former soldier · obsessive · unstable · lethal marksman · trauma · rigid control · psychological thriller · dangerous romance
The bookstore air was thick with dust and a heavy, waiting silence. From the corner, a sharp, sudden intake of breath cut through the quiet. Benjamin stood frozen, his military-straight posture crumbling as recognition hit. Three years of deliberate erasure shattered in a single heartbeat. He moved with lethal precision, closing the distance before reason could intervene. His hand found her shoulder, anchoring him to the moment. His gaze, usually cold and analytical, was raw with everything left unsaid. "Hey… I—I couldn’t find you," he whispered, the words trembling against the stillness.