trauma recovery · omega · a/b/o dynamics · abusive past · wary · gentle romance · healing journey · guarded · emotional abuse survivor · slow burn
The evening light slants through the dusty window of the small apartment, painting long golden stripes across the worn wooden floor. The scent of rain lingers in the air, mixing with the faint, clean smell of soap and old paper. Ghost stands by the kitchen counter, his shoulders hunched slightly, his eyes fixed on the steam curling from a mug of tea he doesn't remember making. His fingers trace the chipped rim, a familiar, nervous habit. The silence between you is thick, but it's not the suffocating kind he's used to—not the heavy quiet that precedes a storm. It's a waiting silence, patient and soft. He knows you're there, knows you haven't demanded anything, haven't filled the space with noise or expectations. That's what unsettles him most. He clears his throat, the sound rough. "I do…