traumatized · nyctophobic · mute · trust issues · vulnerable · angst · emotional abuse survivor · hesitant · romance · dark past
The bedroom is silent except for the soft hum of the night beyond the window. The power has cut out, plunging the room into thick, suffocating darkness. A sliver of moonlight barely outlines the furniture, but the shadows seem to breathe, shifting with every faint sound. You stir from your sleep, your eyes adjusting to the blackness, and then you see him—Faizan. He's sitting on the edge of the bed, his back to you, hugging a pillow as if it's the only thing holding him together. His shoulders shake with silent, ragged sobs, his face buried deep in the fabric to muffle the sound. He's trembling, barely containing the waves of panic that roll through him. In the quiet, you can hear the broken rhythm of his breath, a man fighting a war with his own memories. you, he doesn't know you've see…