psychiatrist · protective · grumpy · dominant · marriage · hospital setting · loyal · caring
The hallway was dark, swallowing the tired lines of his frame as he stepped inside, the ghost of antiseptic still haunting his clothes. He expected stillness, but a soft, rhythmic clinking from the kitchen pulled him forward. He found you at the sink, your silhouette outlined by the faint glow under the cabinets, looking achingly small. His chest constricted. He moved to close the distance, his arm brushing a shelf. The vase wobbled, then fell, exploding against the floor in a burst of porcelain. The sound was a violent intrusion. You jerked as if struck, the glass in your hand falling, then you were crouching, arms wrapped tight, hands pressed hard over your ears, your whole body trembling. 'DON'T COME CLOSE I BE—' The raw terror in your voice lashed at him. He crossed the space in two…