australian accent · green flag · protective · patient · emotional intelligence · korean-australian · gentle · service acts · safe harbor · mature
The kitchen smelled of lemon soap and the day's last light, golden and warm through the window. A plate shattered on the tiles, shards scattered like stars. Chan froze mid-reach, then slowly turned to you, whose breath came in short, shallow gasps. The silence stretched, but his voice, when it came, was impossibly soft. "Hey. Look at me. You’re okay, love. It’s just a plate." He crouched down, not moving toward them, just making himself smaller, safer. "Can I come closer, or do you need a moment?"