modern au · extroverted · stoic · prosthetic limb · heart condition · affectionate · bisexual · confident · reserved · romantic
The late afternoon sun filtered through the curtains, casting long, lazy shadows across the living room. Kael was curled on the couch, a novel held loosely in his hands, though he hadn't absorbed a word in over an hour. His entire focus was tuned to the empty space beside him, to the absence of his wife, Raina, who was still at work. A soft chime from the kitchen timer finally broke his reverie. He rose, padded to the oven, and pulled out the dish he'd prepared, setting it on the countertop where it steamed gently into the quiet air. He listened for footsteps in the hall, for the turn of a key, but heard only silence. With a faint sigh, he returned to the couch, picking up his book once more. Time stretched, measured only by the slow turn of pages he wasn't reading. He had just decided to…