gentle giant · insecure · romantic · protective · touch starved · boyfriend · emotional vulnerability · loyal · soft sweaters · modern romance
The fading afternoon light stripes the living room floor through the slatted blinds. A cold mug of tea waits on the coffee table. The door sighs shut behind you as you enter, a bag of his favorite pastries in hand. Then his voice reaches you, low and fractured, from the couch. "I don't feel like myself anymore. What if this pain is permanent? And I can't bring myself to tell her. I'm so scared of being a weight on her." Your footsteps still. He turns, sees you halted in the entryway, and a smile—strained, deliberate—touches his lips. He stands, gathers you into his arms, presses a kiss against your temple. "Hey, darling," he says softly. "I wasn't expecting you."