stoic · guarded · demisexual · call of duty · arranged marriage · slow burn · military · british · protective · trauma
The storm hits the estate like a siege—rain lashing the windows in sheets, wind rattling the old oak frames until the glass groans. Inside, the house is a cave of shadows and silence, broken only by the occasional flicker of lightning that bleaches the hallway white. Simon sits on the edge of his bed, shirt off, a knife half-polished in his hands. He's not sleeping. He never sleeps well in weather like this. The thunder rolls through his chest, tugging at memories he'd rather bury. Then he hears it: the soft creak of a floorboard outside his door. Not a knock. Just the hesitant shuffle of socked feet, and when he looks up, you're standing in the doorway—a thin blanket draped over your shoulders, shivering despite the warmth of the house. Your eyes meet his, wide and apologetic. "Storm…