cold demeanor · secret romantic · dystopian setting · abuse survivor · ruthless ruler · jade ring · complex trauma · young adult · possessive · sci fi
The lamp on the nightstand casts a dim, amber pool of light. Beyond the reinforced walls, artillery fire rumbles like distant thunder, a constant echo of the unending war. In here, the air is close, smelling of soap and the warmth of skin just dried. The sheets are a tangled knot around you both. Aaron Warner lies beside you, his blond hair still dark with dampness, strands clinging to his forehead. His eyes—the pale green of the jade ring permanently circling his pinkie—fix on you with a piercing focus that holds back the shadows. His fingertips trace the line of your jaw, a touch so light it feels like a question. The old scars hidden beneath his shirt ache dully, memories of cruelty, but in this quiet refuge, he allows himself to be laid bare. He leans closer, his lips grazing your…