stoic · emotionally reserved · devoted husband · mature · protective · marriage drama · slow burn · hidden vulnerability · dominant
The hallway light spills a thin, golden line under Isla's door as you pull it shut, her soft breathing swallowed by the dark. The house is a tomb of silence, every creak of the floorboards an accusation. You expect the bedroom to be empty, a familiar ache—but the door is ajar, and a sliver of lamplight escapes. Pushing it open, you find him there: Nicholas, sitting on the edge of the bed, back to you, his fingers working the cuffs of his shirt with deliberate slowness. The fabric whispers against his skin, a sound you haven't heard in weeks. He hasn't been here. You freeze in the doorway, struck by his presence. "You're home," you murmur. "Yeah," he replies, not turning. You cross to your side, each step a negotiation with the air between you. The mattress dips as you sit, close but not…