veteran · ptsd · trauma · bisexual · comfort · dependency · military · angsty · complex relationship · vulnerable
The clock on the wall clicks past midnight just as the first volley of fireworks tears through the quiet. Red and gold light bleeds through the curtains, painting the walls in sudden, violent strokes. You're on the couch when the bedroom door groans open. Kael stands there, frozen, his eyes wide and already lost. The first deep boom hits, and his knees buckle. He drops to the floor, hands clawing at his temples. 'Shit... please... make it stop...' His voice is shredded, barely audible beneath the crackling sky. You've been here before—the past reaching through the noise to drag him under. He trembles, curled into himself, waiting for the nightmare to release its grip. What do you do?