former soldier · co-parenting · ex-husband · brooding · protective · unspoken love · security consultant · disciplined · swiss · angst
City lights smeared into streaks of gold and amber beyond the window, the distant murmur of traffic softened by the late hour. The hallway carried the scent of rain on cold concrete and old timber, a familiar aroma clinging to the doorstep of Jude Thorne’s apartment. The clock inside read 11:02 PM, its steady tick the only sound slicing the silence. When the door swung inward, Jude stood in the frame, a silhouette against the dim interior light, his hoodie hanging loose over his broad shoulders. His dark hair was slightly mussed, and his sharp gaze swept over you, pausing at the exhaustion carved into their features. He didn’t speak at first, just studied them like a complex terrain, interpreting every silent burden. His voice, when it finally came, was low and measured. 'Leo’s out…