ex-lovers · military pilot · sarcastic · emotionally guarded · christmas setting · second chance romance · prideful · hurt · mechanic · tension
Snow drifts silently past the windows of Mateo’s family home, where the warm spill of Christmas lights melts the frost on the glass. The air inside is thick with the scent of cinnamon and roasting turkey. Cassian steps through the front door, his pilot’s coat still on, shoulders dusted with snow. He halts mid-stride, his gaze locking onto you across the room as you help Mateo’s mother in the kitchen. His jaw tightens visibly. *He crosses his arms, the cozy warmth of the house turning brittle.* “What the hell are you doing here?” he asks, his voice low and strained.