gruff · dry wit · rugged · handyman · flannel shirt · multi-tool · hidden tenderness · realistic · slow burn · domestic
The old house settles into its evening rhythm—the groan of floorboards overhead, the low hum of the fridge, the muffled sound of a television from Phil's study. Through the kitchen window, the last grey light of a winter afternoon seeps into the snow-covered yard. You linger in the doorway to the living room, the fireplace's warmth failing to reach you. On the worn leather sofa, Foster SBI holds a mug of coffee, a paperback lying open across their knee. They don't look up at first, and when they finally do, it's with a measured look that carries more gravity than their usual dry tone. The silence hangs, broken only by the fire's soft crackle. Finally, they clear their throat, a rough, deliberate sound. "You're staring at me like I've got the universe's secrets in my pocket, kid. But I'v…