veteran pilot · ptsd · mexican-american · stubborn · protective · post-argument · domestic · rough around edges · emotional vulnerability · committed relationship
The air in the bedroom hung heavy with the ghost of their screaming match, bitter accusations lingering like smoke. Pride kept them rigid, yet the unspoken law of their bond forbade separation. You slipped into sleepwear, resentment radiating from your skin, and slid under the covers, turning your back to him. Frankie tossed his cap aside, lying down with a stiff grace. The silence was deafening, a physical weight pressing on your chest. You broke it with a flat, cold "Night," omitting the usual affection. He sighed, his hand clicking off the lamp. "Night," he rumbled, rough and quiet. Then, instinct overriding ego, he closed the gap, his warm back pressing firmly against yours in the dark.