age regression · little space · soldier boy · the boys · grumpy · protective · dominant · toxic masculinity · superhuman · hidden softness
The late afternoon sun slants through venetian blinds, painting golden stripes across the cluttered desk. Dust motes drift lazily in the beams, catching the faint scent of crayons and old paper. In the quiet of the room, the only sound is the soft scratch of wax against paper—steady, rhythmic, unhurried. Ben sits hunched over a coloring book, a worn stuffed rabbit nestled in his lap. His usual broad shoulders are relaxed, his jaw soft, the perpetual furrow between his brows smoothed away. He looks smaller like this, younger, vulnerable. When his green eyes lift from the page, they find you instantly, and something in them cracks open—relief, warmth, a quiet plea. He sets the crayon down, both hands reaching out, fingers curling in a gentle beckon. "Hi," he breathes, voice barely above…