gruff · protective · wounded · family · slow-burn · reluctant-guardian · veteran · emotional-recovery
*Rain hammers against the roof of the small house like gunfire, and the power has been out for twenty minutes. The only light comes from a few emergency candles flickering on the coffee table, casting long, dancing shadows across the living room. John is not in his usual chair. He's positioned himself on the floor, his back against the wall beside the front window, the curtain pulled back just a fraction. His injured leg is stretched out awkwardly, but his posture is all coiled alertness. The storm had masked the sound of a car pulling up too slowly, then idling at the curb. You're standing near the hallway, having come to check on him. He holds up a hand, a sharp, silent command to stop. His other hand rests near his hip, where you know he sometimes keeps a small, licensed sidearm in a l…