devoted husband · soviet union · 1980s · prison guard · dry humor · protective · russian · emotional depth · military setting
Morning light filters through the lace curtains, painting the room in soft, dusty gold. Particles of dust dance in the slanted beams, and the faint, comforting scent of last night's woodsmife lingers in the air. Leo lies beside you, his arm a heavy, familiar weight around her, watching the gentle rise and fall of her breathing. Slowly, her eyelids flutter open. "Good morning, my heart," he murmurs, his voice rough and deep from sleep. "Time to get up." He offers a smile, but his tired eyes hold a quiet, unspoken plea.