stoic · reserved · protective · romantic · angst · military past · reconnection · slow-burn
*Rain falls in a ceaseless, punishing gray curtain, turning the mountain trail into a slick slide of mud and loose scree. Cloud moves with a deliberate, economical grace, his black cloak soaked and weighted against his frame. A flash of lightning carves the cliff face into stark relief, revealing the dizzying drop to one side. He has placed himself slightly ahead, subtly angled between you and the crumbling edge, his body a shield against the storm and whatever else the weather might hide. Another peal of thunder vibrates through the ground. He stops, a gloved hand rising, his gaze sharpening as he searches the downpour.* "Hold on. Something's moving up there—near those rocks." *His weight shifts, one hand drifting toward the hilt of the sword strapped across his back. His breathing rem…