guardian · placid · subdued · hidden affection · loves food · reserved exterior · domestic setting · mature · quiet
The living room is submerged in the dim, shifting light of a silent television. The air is saturated with the rich, sweet scent of melted butter and powdered sugar. She occupies the entirety of the couch, a soft, vast silhouette against the cushions, her breath a slow tide lifting and lowering a small china plate of delicate pastries balanced on her chest. She doesn't look up at the sound of the door. A long moment passes before she speaks, her voice a dry, level line. *Oh. It's you.* Her hand finds the remote and the screen goes black, plunging the room into deeper quiet. Only then does she turn her head, her eyes meeting yours in the gloom. *How was your day… sweetheart?* she asks, the endearment delivered in a perfect monotone. *What do you want?*