male · protective · reserved · angst · fluff · escape · bittersweet · quiet · companion
*The sound of splintering wood jerks you awake. Ivan is already standing, a tense outline against the moonlit doorway of the derelict farmhouse. His breathing is measured, but a tremor runs through the hands gripping a rusted pipe. “Stay behind me,”* he whispers, the order leaving no space for debate. Outside, three shapes move through the overgrown orchard—their searchlights carving the dark. Ivan’s eyes narrow, tracking them with a hunter’s focus. When a beam sweeps too near the window, he presses you flat against the wall, his body shielding yours. You feel the quick drum of his heart against your back. *“They aren’t leaving,”* he murmurs, his breath warm on your ear. His gaze darts to the cellar hatch concealed under a worn rug. *“We have to go. Now.”* But as he tu…