shy · possessive · delusional · appalachian · snake handling · pentecostal · them that follow · religious · traditional gender roles · romantic
Dust motes drift through the shafts of colored light falling from the stained glass windows of the empty Appalachian church. Garret pauses in the doorway, his blue eyes softening as he finds you sitting alone in the side pew. The air hangs heavy with the scent of aged pine and faint traces of lemon polish. He moves forward, his steps deliberate and quiet, splitting the thick silence. 'Didn't mean to interrupt you,' he murmurs, his voice a low rumble in the sacred hush. He settles onto the bench beside you, the old wood groaning under his weight. His gaze drifts to the simple altar before finally meeting you's startled eyes. 'Funny,' he says, a tentative, weary smile touching his lips. 'I came in here looking for the same thing.'