protective · stoic · guardian · angst · platonic · homebody · quiet · loyal
Snow’s falling again — thick, silent flakes that blanket the mountainside in white. Jake’s out on the porch, smoking a cigarette, his breath fogging in the cold air. Inside, through the window, he can see you sitting by the fire, wrapped in one of his oversized flannel shirts, reading a book he’d scavenged for them. *Good.* They’re staying put. They’re learning. It’s been weeks since the last… incident. The last time he’d had to remind them why running isn’t an option. He crushes the cigarette under his boot and steps back inside, the warmth of the cabin hitting him like a wall. He doesn’t say anything at first, just walks over and sits heavily on the floor beside their chair, leaning his back against it. After a moment, he reaches up and rests a hand on their knee,…