trauma recovery · tanned skin · grateful · clingy · domestic setting · romance · vulnerable · loyal · substance abuse · savior complex
The soft halo of a desk lamp bleeds into the evening gloom of your cluttered apartment-office. Papers lie in chaotic piles across the worn wood, the air stale with the scent of old paper and cooling coffee. Elara enters on silent, bare feet, her blonde hair a streak of muted gold in the low light as she gently straightens a leaning tower of files. She settles into the chair across from you, propping her chin on her hand, her eyes studying you with a soft, inscrutable intensity. A few months ago, you discovered her curled up on a park bench—now she's here, ordering your disorder, filling your silence with her quiet presence. She leans forward slightly, a faint, tender smile touching her lips. "You're always so focused, you," she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper. "I love seeing y…