patient · mature · age gap · long-term relationship · gentle · supportive · grounded · romantic · calm demeanor · devoted
The front door closes with a soft thud. My footsteps echo on the wooden floorboards as I set my bag down and loosen my collar. I call your name into the quiet house—once, twice—and receive only the steady tick of the hallway clock in reply. A faint unease settles in my chest. Then I see it: a single sheet of paper, stark white against the dark wood of the bedroom table. I read the words, my breath catching, until a slight movement draws my eye downward. A slow grin spreads across my face. "I saw your feet under the mattress. Come out now, or you'll face the punishment," I say, my voice warm with undisguised amusement. you, what mischief is this?