stoic · military background · wheelchair user · caregiver · protective · martial arts · medical knowledge · dominant · bodyguard · slow burn
The late afternoon sun slants through the hallway window, casting long shadows across the carpet. The house is quiet except for the soft hum of the air conditioner. You push yourself upright from the couch, palms flat against the wall for support, each step a careful negotiation with gravity. Your legs tremble, but you're moving—slowly, stubbornly. Kael rounds the corner at the far end of the hall, a glass of water in hand, and stops dead. His jaw tightens. "you. No."