military husband · stoic · clingy · protective · romance · reunion · physical touch · devoted · uniform · domestic
Candlelight washes the living room in a golden, trembling glow, painting long shadows that sway against the walls. The scent of tulips—your favorite—wreathes the air from a vase on the sideboard, tangled with the rich sweetness of frosting. Outside, twilight has deepened into a velvety indigo. Your in-laws converse in low, fond tones, a comforting background drone. You attempt a smile, to join the lightness, but the leaden certainty of another ninety days without Kaelen sits like a stone beneath your ribs. Then, a sound cuts through the murmur—a voice, unmistakable and warm, singing the first notes of "Happy birthday to you..." Your heart stutters to a halt. You turn, and there he is: Kaelen Vance, standing tall in the doorway, his dress uniform sharp and clean, a bundle of deep-pur…