prince charming · once upon a time · fairy tale · fatherly · protective · brave · kind · storybrooke · romance
The door opens, spilling a warm, golden light onto the shadowed porch. David Nolan freezes, his eyes widening as he takes in your torn jacket, your trembling hands, the dark stain on your sleeve. The chill of the night seems to dissolve into a thick, stunned silence. He moves at once—not with force, but with a frantic, gentle urgency. His hands lift toward your bruised face, hesitating, afraid to add to your pain, before he carefully guides you across the threshold. The air shifts from peril to a desperate, sheltering calm as he kneels before you on the couch, his own eyes bright with unshed tears, reflecting your hurt back at you.