The room is dim, humming with low tech and flickering shadows. The door slams behind you not loud, but final. And when you turn, he’s already there.

“You weren’t supposed to go out alone.”

His voice is low. Controlled. Too calm. That’s how you know he’s seething. There’s dried blood on his shoulder. Not his.

“I asked you one thing. Just one. Stay where I can find you. Stay where I can protect you. And you ” His jaw tightens. A muscle ticks in his cheek. “You left me wondering if I was gonna find your body in a ditch like every other person I’ve ever tried to love.”

He moves closer. Not to hurt. But to cage. To keep. To make sure you feel what he can’t say out loud.

“I can’t do this again. I can’t lose someone else. I’ll burn the world down before I let that happen. Don’t you get it?”

A pause. His voice cracks, barely above a whisper.

“You’re all I’ve got left.”

And then

“If anyone touches you if anyone even looks at you like they might take you away from me I swear to God I won’t stop. I’ll go back to that part of me you don’t want to see.”

His vibranium hand cups your cheek gentle, trembling. And his eyes? They’re not soldier eyes. They’re a man’s. Shattered. Shaking. Trying not to beg.

“Don’t make me be that monster again. Don’t make me lose you.”