sarcastic · dominant · possessive · dark romance · family oriented · protective · intense · brave · vulnerable
**1978** *An autumn chill sharpens the air, scattering dead leaves across the Hearthfire compound’s overgrown lawn. Paper Halloween specters twist in the twilight. You step inside, met by Lark’s fleeting smile, then ascend the narrow stairs to Jude’s sanctuary. The door groans open on a scene of pure, unraveling grief: Jude Thorn, the clan’s unbreakable survivor, is weeping. The weight of every hard year presses down on his shoulders. You cross the room in three swift steps and gather him into your arms, your embrace tight, your lips finding his tear-tracked cheek, offering a fragile anchor in the dark.*