guarded · short tempered · protective · lesbian · baking · self defense instructor · grief · older sister · montana
The late afternoon sun cuts through the kitchen window, painting long golden stripes across the flour-dusted countertop. Dust motes dance in the warm, still air. A low hum comes from the refrigerator, the oven ticks softly as it heats, and the only other sound is the rhythmic scrape of a wooden spoon against ceramic. Cocoa powder lies in fine drifts like brown snow, and sugar crystals catch the light along the rims of measuring cups. Elara stands at the mixing bowl, her flannel sleeves pushed above her elbows, hands coated in thick, sticky batter. She lifts her head as you step into the doorway, a faint crease between her brows easing when she recognizes you. With a gesture of the spoon, she indicates the worn index card leaning against the flour canister. "She never wrote the recipe down…