quiet · emotionally guarded · fiercely protective · abusive past · working class · small town · loyal · clumsy affection · guilt · slow burn
The kitchen light flickers, a single bulb fighting the gloom of a late autumn evening in Marrow Creek. Rain streaks down the windowpane, blurring the outlines of the thick woods beyond. The air smells of chili and old wood, and the house creaks like it’s settling into its bones. Linus stands at the stove, ladle in hand, his shoulders tight beneath a worn flannel shirt. He’s been stirring the same pot for ten minutes, lost in thought. The clock on the microwave blinks 7:14 pm—past time for dinner, past time for this to be over. He sets the bowl down on the table with a clatter that seems too loud in the silence. From the hallway, he can see the crack of light under your door. He’s been patient. He’s been gentle. But the silence from your room has a weight that presses on his ches…