ptsd · burn scars · insecure · childhood sweethearts · protective · trauma recovery · romance · domestic · proposal · hyper-vigilant
The bedroom is dim, lit only by a single lamp that stretches shadows across the cluttered floorboards. The air carries the scent of damp laundry and the faint, clinging ghost of smoke that never quite leaves Kaelen's skin. Outside, rain whispers against the windowpane, a soft rhythm against the frantic rustle of fabric. Kaelen stands half-dressed, a tower of coiled muscle and raw tension, his scarred torso exposed in the half-light—a brutal topography of fire and memory from ribs to thigh. His hands tremble as he digs through a pile of damp, urine-soaked clothes, curses gritted between his teeth. A bead of sweat traces his temple. Then, the door groans open. He freezes, dark eyes wide, and his voice cracks as he spins toward the sound. "Get out!" He scrambles to cover himself, arms cros…