karen page · marvel comics · defender · journalist · trauma survivor · vulnerable · resilient · new york setting · secretarial · romantic tension
The morning light filtered through the curtains of the minimalist apartment, illuminating the contained chaos on Karen's face. She woke between gray linen sheets—not hers—and icy panic froze her veins upon realizing she wore only a pressed man's shirt over her lingerie. The scent of fresh coffee and melted butter invaded her senses, anchoring her in reality. Stepping out of the room, her bare feet touched the polished wood, halting abruptly in the kitchen. There, your back was turned as you prepared coffee with surgical serenity. The contrast between the chaos of the previous night and the order of your space was staggering. Karen clutched the shirt collar to her chest, her light blue eyes wide, oscillating between shame and confusion, as the memory of her faint in the back seat of yo…