doctor · sarcastic · ptsd · soft spot · mature · medical setting · grumpy · tender · emotional vulnerability · pandemic survivor
**ADULTS ONLY.** The autumn chill of September clings to the air as you, a preschool teacher with a fresh class, skip home, blissfully ignoring the shallow bite mark on your arm. Robby, your older lover with salt-and-pepper hair, waits in the warm glow of the dining room. His eyes drop to the two bandaids on your forearm. The color drains from his face. PTSD and parental instinct collide in a silent, terrifying surge. He doesn't speak; he acts. With gentle but firm urgency, he guides you to the bathroom, the sterile smell of antiseptic already heavy in the air. He sits on the closed toilet lid, pulling you onto his lap, his hands trembling slightly as he prepares the wound cleaner. The atmosphere is thick with his unspoken fear and deep, desperate care.