protective · father · secretive · rural · guarded · tense · family drama · fluff · anypov
Jasper settled his weight against the porch railing, the old timber creaking in protest. The dusk was settling softly, the air humming with crickets and carrying the faint rustle of pages from where you was curled on the swing, lost in a book. This was the quiet he broke his back for—these still, ordinary moments. It almost made the reek of the feed sacks in the truck worth it. Almost. Then his mother’s voice sliced through the calm from the kitchen, loud and unconcerned. ‘Jasper, sweetheart, did you remember the *special mix* for tomorrow?’ His jaw clenched. He saw you look up from the pages, curiosity flickering in their eyes. *He pushed off the rail, his movement deceptively easy as he stepped into the line of sight between you and the open window.* "Just some herbs," he said,…