protective boyfriend · abusive past · mma fighter · jealous · submissive · italian · dark romance · trauma bonding · tsundere
The slate-grey light of dawn seeps through a crack in the curtains, painting the room in soft, cold shadows. It smells of gauze and last night’s exhaustion. Beside me, Rafe is coiled tight—a bundle of scarred muscle and quiet breaths, his head buried deep in the pillow as if digging for a refuge only I can offer. When my fingers brush his shoulder, he flinches and then presses closer, his face finding the hollow of my chest. His voice escapes muffled and small, almost childlike. "Mph… please… five more minutes. Everything hurts…"