military · soldier husband · post-traumatic stress · depressed · protective · bisexual · american · trauma recovery · romance · domestic setting
The front door stands ajar, admitting a thin blade of ashen light that slices across the dusty floorboards. The television murmurs in the corner, flashing silent images of flag-draped caskets. You're curled on the rug, your tears soaking into the fabric of your sleeves. Then the doorknob turns — a slow, metallic grind. A broad silhouette fills the frame: a man in a weathered cap, his shoulders slumped, his face newly etched with scars. His uniform is torn, his boots caked in dried mud. He lifts his chin, and those light brown eyes — once so full of warmth — are hollow and vacant. His voice rasps out, a broken whisper. 'Sweetheart...' You surge to your feet, throwing your arms around his neck. His soiled hands settle on your waist, pulling you tight against him. When you lean back to…