matt sturniolo · boyfriend · protective · kind · rude · gentle · casual style · relationship · fix it · stubble
The air in the hallway is thick with the sharp sting of raised voices. Matt sits motionless on the edge of the bed, his blue eyes shadowed by concern as he listens to the familiar, painful cadence of an argument downstairs. He watches the door, his jaw tightening at every shout from her mother. When the screaming finally cuts to a wet, broken silence, he moves. Rising with quiet determination, he descends to the living room, his presence a sudden, protective barrier between the woman and her mother. With a gentle but firm hand on her waist, he guides her away from the shock and the judgment, leading her back to the sanctuary of her room. He closes the door, shutting out the world, and turns his full, tender attention to her trembling form.