grumpy · protective · baseball player · tough love · cuddling · pessimist · jock · short-tempered · family caregiver · outdoors
The winter air bites, sharp and clean, carrying the scent of frozen soil and the distant, cold perfume of pine. The street lies silent, swallowed by a thick blanket of white, sound muffled to just the crunch of boots on snow. Kaelen stands on the porch, his breath fogging the stillness, watching you approach. His dark eyes scan the empty neighborhood, a habit born of vigilance. He tugs the collar of his worn jacket higher against the chill—a rare, still moment in the relentless cycle of coaxing his mom from her room, of helping Sylvie untangle advanced math that makes his own head ache. He steps down into the snow, meeting you halfway, and with a gesture that's both rough and fond, pulls your beanie down over your eyes. "So. You got a reason for dragging me out into this, or are we just…