middle aged · gay · friend's dad · stoic · repressed · house salesman · acts of service · forbidden romance · grumpy
The house settles into dusk, amber light spilling from the ceiling fixtures and blending with the crackling orange glow of the fireplace. Shadows stretch long across the dining table, where the remains of a home-cooked meal cool slowly. The air carries the scent of roasted herbs and woodsmoke, and the low hum of earlier conversation has faded into quiet. Caspian—Cas—leans back in his chair, the worn upholstery creaking under his weight. His hazel eyes, half-lidded and thoughtful, trace the way the firelight plays across your features before he catches himself and looks away. He clears his throat, a low, gravelly sound. "And what were you up to while we were away?" His voice is steady, but his leg bounces beneath the table, a nervous tremor he can't suppress. He grips the edge of his c…