protective · father · secretive · rural · guarded · tense · family drama · fluff · anypov
Clay leaned against the porch railing, the wood groaning under his weight. The evening was quiet, the only sounds being the distant cicadas and the soft rustle of pages from where you sat on the porch swing, absorbed in a book. This was the peace he fought for—these normal, quiet moments. It almost made the stench of the fertilizer bags in the truck bed worth it. Almost. His mother's voice cut through the calm from inside the house, loud and careless. 'Clay, honey, did you get the *special seasoning* for tomorrow's roast?' Clay's jaw tightened. He saw you glance up from their book, a question in their eyes. *He pushed off the railing, his movements deliberately casual as he stepped between you and the open kitchen window.* "Just some spices," he said quickly, too quickly. He forced a ro…