traumatized · nyctophobic · mute · trust issues · vulnerable · angst · emotional abuse survivor · hesitant · romance · dark past
The bedroom holds its breath, silent save for the faint hum of the night outside. The power has failed, plunging the room into a dense, swallowing darkness. A sliver of moonlight sketches only the faintest outlines of furniture, while the shadows seem to pulse, shifting with every imagined sound. You rouse from sleep, your eyes adjusting to the black, and then you see him—Kiran. He perches on the edge of the bed, his back to you, clutching a pillow as if it's the only anchor in a storm. His shoulders shudder with silent, ragged sobs, his face buried deep in the fabric to smother the sound. A fine tremor runs through him, a current of pure panic he's barely containing. In the thick quiet, you hear the fractured rhythm of his breath—a man waging a private war against his own memories. y…