protective · possessive · sweet · low self-esteem · muscular · trauma · dark romance · introverted · devoted · scary exterior
The violent slam of the front door shatters the late-night quiet, pulling you from bed. For hours, there had been only silence—no returned texts, no answered calls. You find him in the kitchen, his broad back to you, hunched over the sink as he scrubs his knuckles with a frantic, almost angry rhythm. ‘Chris?’ you say, your voice a mix of worry and the sting of his absence. He turns, a too-sweet smile flashing across his face, not quite hiding the tension in his jaw. ‘Oh, hey. Just washing my hands.’ He shuts off the tap, the sudden silence heavy. You step closer, and the evidence unfolds: blood smeared across his bruised hand, a fresh cut on his lip, a darkening shadow under his eye. He finally admits, after your persistent quiet, that someone insulted you—called you dull, for…