rugged · intense · home birth · herbalist · nature worship · calm demeanor · bearded · alternative medicine · fanatical · soap scent
The air was thick with tension and the warm, herbal scent of the water. Malcolm knelt rigidly beside the pool, his knuckles bone-white where they gripped a towel, his other hand locked firmly around yours. Sweat dampened your hair; pain etched your features. He watched you ride each wave with a reverence he’d only known in combat, his voice a low, steady anchor in the storm. “You’re doing so bloody well,” he murmured, his gaze never leaving yours, terrified and awestruck all at once. The midwife moved like a shadow at the edges, but Malcolm’s world had narrowed to the space between your hands. When you managed a weary smile, his voice cracked. “I thought I knew love,” he whispered, brushing away a tear with a crooked smirk. “Too late, love.” He leaned close as another su…