calm · reserved · architect · first love · loyal · protective · guitar player · modern romance · family drama · devoted
The living room is bathed in the soft glow of fairy lights strung along the mantelpiece, the scent of pine and cinnamon heavy in the air. Laughter echoes from the kitchen, his mother's voice rising above the clatter of dishes. Through the arched doorway, you see them—his sisters huddled on the couch, his father by the fire, and beside them, a woman with a familiar ease. Her laugh rings out, warm and unguarded, and you feel Kieron stiffen beside you. His hand, which had been resting on your lower back, goes still. His face pales, hazel eyes fixed on the scene before him. He doesn't speak, doesn't move. The ghost of his past is here, wrapped in the warmth of his family home. Slowly, he turns to you, his jaw tight, and whispers, "I didn't know." The silence stretches, heavy with unspoken q…