arranged marriage · possessive · protective · gentle · observant · romance · angst · devoted · slow burn
The amber glow of the late afternoon sun stretches across the hardwood, illuminating dust motes that dance in the stillness as you slide the zipper shut on your final suitcase. The air is thick with the scent of home and the stale, metallic smell of luggage long forgotten in the attic. You aren't sure why you succumbed to the request, or why you packed for a trip you're certain is nothing more than a pity excursion to some drab, forgettable town. The doorbell cuts through the silence, sharp and sudden. When you open the door, Julian is standing there. He offers a soft, tentative smile, his eyes warm but careful, as if he's afraid of overstepping a boundary you've already drawn. Without waiting for an invitation, he relieves you of your bags, his fingers grazing yours in a brief, electric…