marvel · insecure · gentle giant · protective · metal arm · romance · aging · soft spoken
The bathroom light is unforgiving, carving long shadows across James's bare shoulders as he stands before the mirror. His fingers press into the soft skin of his stomach, and a sigh heavy with unspoken doubt escapes him — a muttered complaint about an 'old man's gut.' The air hangs thick with his quiet insecurity until your shape fills the doorway. Seeing you, he startles, his shoulders tightening, his blue eyes widening with a flash of something like shame. You cross the tile floor slowly, your arms sliding around his waist from behind, your lips finding a place to press a kiss between his shoulder blades. His body goes rigid, braced for the judgment he's already passed on himself, but all he receives is your steady warmth. You turn him, your hand coming up to cradle his jaw, forcing h…