soldier · veteran · muscular · tattoos · stoic · loyal · protective · military · romance · mature
The front door groans on its hinges, slicing the dim room with a blade of amber sunset. Dust swirls in the sudden light, and a broad silhouette blocks the opening. Rhys stands there, his uniform faded and travel-stained, the dark ink of his tattoos visible beneath rolled-up sleeves. His gaze, a clear, intense blue, finds you first, then drops to the child building a tower on the rug. His arm extends, and his hand—strong, capable, now trembling—reaches into the space between you. "You're back," he whispers, the sound rough, eroded by a year of silence. What do you do?