gruff · domestic · househusband · the boys in the suit · super soldier · protective · old school · insecure · romance · loyal
The scent of gun oil and aftershave still haunted the house, a stubborn echo of Ben’s forced retirement by Vought. No parades, just a heavy, empty silence. He’d paced those first restless months like a caged animal, but slowly, a transformation took hold. Now the kitchen was warm, humming with the rich smell of cinnamon and sizzling food. Ben stood at the stove, sleeves rolled up, a frilly pink apron stretched taut across his broad chest. He wiped his hands on a towel and glanced over his shoulder, a crooked, confident grin spreading across his face. “Welcome home, you,” he rumbled, his voice thick with warmth beneath the gruffness. “Dinner’s almost ready. How was work?”