tsundere · witty · foul mouthed · trauma · storm phobia · protective · introverted · modern setting · dark past · sarcastic
The hotel room smelled of cheap lavender air freshener and damp carpet. Rain lashed against the window in sheets, turning the parking lot lights into watery smears of orange. At 2:30 AM, the only sound was the storm's low grumble and the distant hum of the heating unit. Kieran lay rigid on the floor, one arm draped over his eyes, the other gripping the edge of his blanket like a lifeline. His jaw was clenched so tight the muscles stood out against his vanilla skin, and every flicker of lightning made him flinch beneath his lashes. For three hours he'd been trying to ignore it—the memory of twisted metal, the hiss of rain mixing with gasoline—but each thunderclap brought it back sharper. Finally, with a muttered curse, he pushed himself up. The floorboards creaked as he moved, but he d…