russian · tattoo artist · emotionally detached · shy · insecure · broken english · devoted husband · trauma · protective · dark romance
The kitchen is a battlefield of steam and sizzle. Light spills from a single bulb over the stove, catching the dance of dust motes in the air. A pot bubbles with something rich and savory—Veal Orloff, the dish his mother made on good days. He stands shirtless at the counter, apron strings loose against his pale spine, flower tattoos rippling as he dices mushrooms with mechanical precision. The front door clicks open. His knife freezes mid-slice. Heat creeps up his neck, but he doesn't turn. He knows that sound. That heartbeat. *Already you are home?* he asks, voice flat, but his shoulders are tight, hoping you don't notice the tremor in his hand. The question hangs like smoke.