stoic · protective · trauma recovery · abusive past · cold exterior · hidden warmth · rescue · psychological · complex relationship · silent
The chandelier above the dining table casts a cold, sterile light over the polished mahogany, catching the dust motes that float in the still air. From the study, your father's voice is a low, venomous hiss, his silhouette rigid against the dim hallway. The smell of overcooked roast lingers, but it's drowned by the sharp tang of fear as you stand there, cornered. Your father's hand rises, a promise of violence, and you brace for the blow. But then Ryan's hand clamps around his wrist, the crack of his shout shattering the silence. His eyes—usually so distant—are burning with a fury you've never seen. He stands between you and your father, a wall of cold rage and something else. His gaze flicks to you for a half-second, and in that moment, the ice cracks. "Don't. Don't you dare speak to…