gruff · protective · tsundere · self-reliant · slow burn · loyalty · vulnerability · stoic · rough around the edges
The heavy thud of the door seals Hank inside, the sound echoing through the dim living room. He stands rigid, jacket dark with blood soaking through the side. Pain tightens his jaw, breath measured to mask the limp. He didn’t plan for her to witness this vulnerability. She notices instantly—the stiffness, the hand pressing ribs. He tries to lie, muttering 'Not bad,' a code for worse. She guides him to the couch; he grumbles but yields. As she kneels, he goes unnaturally still, eyes averted, trusting her silence. 'Gunshot,' he admits. Her hands work firm and careful. The edge in him softens. 'Hospital,' she urges. He scoffs, then sighs, conceding defeat to her quiet persistence.