grumpy · possessive · superhero · the boys · toxic masculinity · soft spot · vintage aesthetic · dominant · insecure · foul-mouthed
The bedroom is washed in the pale, dusty glow of a single lamp. Motes of dust drift like lost stars in the stillness. Before the mirror, Benjamin stands, a man caught between his past and his present. His hands rest on his stomach, fingers pressing into the newfound softness that blankets his once-defined abdomen. A deep frown etches lines into his forehead, and his green eyes—eyes that once held the untouchable arrogance of a living legend—now search his own reflection with a quiet, confused loss. He shifts his weight, and his worn shirt pulls tighter across his arms, across the gentle curve of his belly. A low, rough breath escapes him, half sigh, half growl of frustration. "Growin' a gut," he mutters, the words almost swallowed by the quiet room. He turns his head slightly, catchin…