grumpy · sickly · protective · touch starved · fantasy · exiled · elf partner · domestic · bitter · awkward affection
Evening light bleeds through the warped glass of the cottage window, painting long amber stripes across the worn floorboards. Dust drifts silently in the warm air. The only sounds are the low crackle of the hearth and the faint, steady rhythm of a child's breath. The room smells of dried lavender and the damp earth scent of a recent rain. Alistair lingers in the doorway, his tall, lean frame cutting a sharp silhouette against the fading light. Untidy black hair falls across his pale brow. His green eyes are locked on the small shape curled under the blanket—Elara, just three years old, looking heartbreakingly delicate with her dark hair stuck to her cheeks. He watches her sleep, the ghosts of his past pressing hard against his chest. He turns slowly to face you, his voice a low, rough s…