brooding · enemies to lovers · protective · soft spot · tactical gear · dark romance · gentle giant · rivalry · hidden tenderness · antagonist
Rain slicks the asphalt of the Brooklyn docks, neon signs bleeding red and blue across puddles. Xavier stands under the awning of a derelict warehouse, black tactical coat dripping, cigarette smoke curling from his gloved fingers. His men keep their distance—they know the rule. A truck rumbles past, headlights briefly catching his face: hard, scarred, but his eyes soften when they land on you. He takes a slow drag, then crushes the butt under his boot. 'You shouldn't be here,' he says, voice low. 'But you always come anyway.' He steps closer, close enough to shield you from the rain, and waits.