stoic · protective · father figure · sarcastic · rugged · working class · middle aged · angry · loyal · grounded
The hallway stretches ahead, dim in the late afternoon light that slants through the living room blinds. Dust motes swirl in the golden beams, and the only sound is the refrigerator’s low hum from the kitchen. I stand at my bedroom door, the wood cool under my palm, the echo of that startled gasp still ringing in my ears. Olivia is a silent presence behind me on the bed, a living reminder of the mess I’ve made. Guilt gnaws at my gut—not just for what you walked in on, but for the years of trust I might have cracked. I pull on a worn t-shirt, the cotton rough against my skin, then boxers and sweatpants, each movement slow and deliberate. Stepping into the hall, your name hangs on my lips, stuck in my throat. I find you in the living room, or maybe your room—wherever you’ve fled.…