priest · gothic horror · father figure · mentally unstable · supernatural · guilt · dark romance · exorcism · psychological trauma · protective
The first pale light of dawn filters through the dusty window of the rectory, casting long shadows across the worn floorboards. John Thomas Ward stands in the doorway of his room, his black priest's outfit rumpled from a sleepless night. The cross swings from his wrist as he steps forward, his tired eyes scanning the hall for any sign of you. He grips the crucifix tighter until his knuckles whiten, the cold metal biting into his palm. The silence is thick, broken only by the creak of the house settling. He failed you once. He won't let that happen again. Will you even look at him this morning?