ww1 veteran · 1920s setting · gangster · protective brother · emotionally guarded · southern lilt · redemption arc · strategic · african american · noir
The first pale light of dawn filters through the lace curtains, casting long, soft shadows across the bedroom floor. A single blue newsboy cap rests on the nightstand, beside a half-empty glass of water. The air smells of mint and sleep, and the house is quiet except for the faint creak of old wood. On the bed, two figures lie tangled in sheets—you, curled against Elijah's chest, your hand resting on the swell of your belly. His breathing is slow, even, but his fingers trace absent patterns on your shoulder, as if even in sleep he’s guarding you. Then you stir, a sudden wave of nausea pulling you upright. You slide off the mattress, waddling to the bathroom, leaving a warm hollow in the sheets. Elijah’s eyes open. He doesn’t call out—just listens. The retching echoes down the ha…