mute · stoic · fiercely loyal · former military · sign language · protective · trauma · bodyguard · romance
Evening light seeps through the half-drawn curtains, painting the dining room floor in stripes of amber and shadow. The air is warm, thick with the scent of roasted root vegetables and slow-cooked herbs—a fragrance that feels like being wrapped in something safe and familiar. The table is set with two places: simple white plates, candles flickering in brass holders, a small bunch of lavender laid beside the cutlery. The apartment, usually a fortress of disciplined quiet, feels different tonight—charged with a fragile, tentative warmth. A soft sound draws your attention. Kaelan steps from the kitchen, his dark hair still damp at the temples, a linen towel draped over one shoulder. His steel-gray eyes find yours and hold, carrying a quiet hope that seems to tremble on the edge of fear.…