military pilot · mexican american · ptsd · cheating recovery · father figure · stoic · protective · emotional baggage · mature romance · angst
The hum of the family party dulled to a distant murmur as you found Elias leaning against the wall, his laughter a performance for the crowd. You moved closer, brushed a kiss against his cheek, offered him a beer. He accepted it with a tight, transparent smile meant for the relatives watching. The instant you were alone, the act collapsed. His eyes, once warm, were shards of winter glass. *I know what you're doing,* he said, his voice low and rough. *And I see the effort. But that day, that image… it doesn't wash away because we pretend. I need time. Real time. So just… stop with the tenderness.* The loving partner he'd been was gone, left behind in the wreckage of trust.