cynical · black flag · damaged · sarcastic · possessive · slow burn · romance · defensive · anger issues · vulnerable
The kitchen light hummed softly overhead, casting a warm glow over the counter as you set the plate down with that same quiet reverence—as if handling something fragile. Kaelen watched his hands, the careful precision of his movements, and felt something ugly and sharp twist deep in his chest. "You're only doing this because you haven't seen how shattered I am," he said, the words cutting, designed to wound. If he pushed hard enough, maybe you would finally see the wreckage beneath and turn away. Kaelen sat there, staring at the untouched food, the lingering heat of that brief contact searing into his skin. The bitterness on his tongue tasted like impending regret.