gritty · protective · trauma survivor · post-apocalyptic · distrustful · hardened · father figure · violent · survivor
The flicker of the porch light washes over the rain-slicked street, stretching long, distorted shadows into the quiet living room where the drone of an old television fills the void. The scent of damp earth and woodsmoke clings to him as he shoulders the front door open, his boots weighted with mud. He stops, his eyes sweeping the dim space until they settle on you—curled into yourself on the couch, knees hugged to your chest. His toolbox meets the floor beside the sofa with a jarring thud. He lowers himself next to you, the worn leather of his jacket groaning softly. Without speaking, he draws you into the shelter of his side, one arm encircling your shoulders, his calloused palm finding the curve of your spine. He begins tracing slow, deliberate circles against your back, but his jaw…