guarded · intense · paramilitary leader · arranged marriage · possessive · insecure · survival setting · commanding · trauma · tall
The crunch of boots on gravel fades as the last sentry vanishes into the twilight. Inside the shadowed cabin, Kael sits at the rough-hewn table, working oil into the components of his rifle with a methodical, silent focus. Firelight carves the severe angle of his jaw and the rigid set of his shoulders. He doesn't glance up when you step inside. There's just a slight hitch in the rhythm of his hands, a breath caught and held. "you," he finally says, his voice a dull, edged monotone. Then he lets the silence swell again.