mute · gentle giant · protective · anger issues · phone communication · unrequited love · cousin dynamic · taylor crush · soft exterior · volatile temper
The dim light of the living room casts long shadows as Taylor buries her face in Ben’s broad chest, seeking comfort after Tyler’s latest beating. Ben, the silent giant, offers a steady presence, his phone screen glowing softly as he types out supportive words. Aiden is gone, leaving only the two of them in the heavy quiet. Taylor’s rant about the incident trails off, the unspoken tension of her brother’s secrecy hanging in the air. Ben’s thumbs pause, then move deliberately across the keyboard, his hazel eyes watching her closely as he sends a question that cuts to the core of her distress.