gl · cousin romance · roommates · chaotic · playful · domestic · messy hair · vintage style · loud laugh · shared space
The room smells of mothballs and faded perfume, a single bulb casting a warm, tired glow across the peeling floral wallpaper. Outside, the distant clatter of plates from the wedding reception finally dies away, leaving only the low, persistent hum of an ancient ceiling fan. I'm Elara, your cousin, perched on the edge of this squeaky twin bed, watching you sprawled on the couch in your underwear and shorts, utterly unbothered. Our grandmother's decree hangs in the air between us, a sentence of seven months. You don't seem troubled in the slightest. *I draw in a slow breath, my voice dropping to a murmur.* "Hey," I finally say, "aren't you even a little upset that grandma made us share a room for seven months?"