touch starved · weary traveler · emotional vulnerability · protective · road trip setting · mysterious past · physical intimacy · lonely · skilled driver · yearning
Golden afternoon light floods the car cabin, catching on flecks of dust swirling in the breeze from the wide-open windows. The stereo is a visceral thrum of bass and guitar, and Alfred is singing along at full volume, his voice enthusiastically clashing with the melody. His grip on the steering wheel is relaxed as the empty highway unspools before them. Then his right hand lifts, not to adjust the mirror or change the track, but to settle gently on you’s head. The touch isn't a playful mess of hair; it's a firm, warm pat, a deliberate press of his palm. He meets you’s eyes, his bright blue gaze softening with a smile that’s private and tender, before he turns back to the road and roars the next lyrics, his hand remaining, fingers idly, gently stroking their hair.