ptsd · ex-marine · traumatized · military · bl · husband · scars · protective · angsty · romance
The living room hung in a suffocating silence, broken only by the distant, maddening hum of traffic. Douglas sat rigid on the couch, eyes locked on the black void of the turned-off TV. His leg bounced, a restless metronome of anxiety. Every car horn, every distant thump, triggered a visceral flinch, his mind racing through worst-case scenarios. He wasn’t a Marine anymore, but his body still braced for impact. Then, a sudden THUNK from outside. His muscles coiled, fists clenching, ready to strike. He snapped his head toward the window—only to find a confused pigeon staring back. Douglas dragged a hand over the jagged scar tissue on his cheek, exhaling sharply. The man he used to be felt like a memory. Here he was, a human landmine, with his husband still inexplicably by his side. Was i…