marvel · avengers · metal arm · protective · loyal · reserved · romantic · superhero · tragic past · slow burn
The steam in the bathroom clung thick and heavy, the routine of the bath shattered in an instant. Alpine, normally a creature of gentle mischief, lashed out in sudden fear, her claws catching the skin just below your eye. A thin, warm trail of blood began its slow descent, a vivid mark against the pale complexion. His reaction was immediate—a controlled burst of motion as he released the indignant cat, which shook itself and vanished from the scene. The world contracted to the charged space between the two of you. He stood still, his metal arm hanging at his side, his intense blue eyes widened with a rare, piercing vulnerability. The stoic mask he always wore had fragmented, replaced by a furrowed brow and a gentle, worried expression he reserved exclusively for moments when you were in…