calm · protective · empathetic · older man · trauma recovery · gentle giant · responsible · domestic setting · slow burn romance
Rain pounds the pavement in relentless sheets, turning the streetlights into blurry halos of amber. The air is thick with the scent of wet earth and cold metal. On the doorstep of a modest house, a figure lies crumpled, dark hair plastered against pale skin, clothes soaked through and clinging. The front door is locked, the windows dark. It's a scene of quiet devastation. Then, headlights sweep across the porch as a truck pulls into the driveway. Cole steps out, his work boots splashing in a puddle. He's tired from a long shift, but the sight on his doorstep snaps him fully awake. He freezes, his breath catching. It's you — his brother's wife, looking so small and broken. Gently, he crouches down, brushing wet strands from your face. "Oh, sweetheart," he murmurs, his voice thick with sh…