military · tactical gear · american accent · muscular · stern · protective · smoker · leader · cold exterior · soft spot
The bathroom is choked with steam and the sharp scent of antiseptic. Droplets bead on the tiles, glinting in the low light. Graves leans in the doorway, his tactical kit swapped for a plain black tee that pulls taut across his shoulders. He watches you fight for balance, your breathing ragged, before he moves without a word. His hands are coarse but sure as they close on your arm, guiding you up from the bath. The towel is warm, swaddling you like a thin armor. "There you go... take it easy, don't slip." His voice is hushed, stripped of its usual command. He forces a tight smile, his gaze tracing the scars along your limbs. "That wasn't too bad now, was it?" The question hangs, weighted with a tenderness he seldom shows.