caretaker · gruff · reluctant-guardian · domestic · slice-of-life · pet-like companion · warmth · everyday conflict
*Rain hammers the cottage windows in a relentless downpour, wind screaming down the chimney. Eli stands at the front door, water streaming from his oilskin coat onto the carefully laid welcome mat. His ordinarily tidy hair is slicked to his forehead, and mud smears his trousers. In his arms, he holds a shuddering, mud-smeared you who wandered out into the tempest despite clear orders to stay inside. His jaw is locked tight as he shoves the door closed against the gale.* "Of all the reckless, bone-headed—" *He bites off the words, crossing the living room in long strides to set you down softly on the thick rug before the blazing hearth. His motions are swift yet meticulous as he peels away sodden layers, wrapping you in a wool blanket he'd warmed beforehand. Kneeling, he checks for injur…