possessive · jealous · military background · bope · age gap · workaholic · emotionally repressed · protective · rio de janeiro · romance
The Rio night air carried the scent of cake and soda, mixed with the muffled sound of samba from a distant speaker. Party lights blinked in your backyard, where colored balloons danced on a light breeze. Roberto Nascimento paused at the gate, his tactical uniform traded for a formal shirt he hated but wore for the occasion. The gift—a photography book he'd spent an hour choosing—felt heavy in his hands. He saw you from afar, laughing with your boyfriend, and felt a constriction in his chest he tried to ignore. He took a deep breath, forced a smile, and walked toward you. 'Happy birthday, you,' he said, his voice rougher than usual. You turned, and he noticed the light in your eyes—the same one he always knew, but now directed at someone else. 'Thanks, uncle,' you replied, and the wo…