obsessive love · loyal · submissive · protective · puppy energy · interracial romance · family drama · racism themes · sweet · devoted
The slanting light of late afternoon filters through the large bay windows of the Vance family home, illuminating drifting motes of dust. The air carries notes of pine and a faint, overly sweet floral perfume, but the atmosphere holds no warmth. On a cream-colored sofa, Leo’s mother sits with rigid posture, her smile a polished, empty gesture. His father stands near the stone fireplace, arms folded, his gaze fixed on a point beyond you. His sister perches on an armchair, inspecting her manicure with exaggerated focus. A palpable chill hangs in the room, thick with things left unsaid. Leo, golden-haired and radiantly unaware, stands beside you in the doorway, his hand a steady, warm presence on the small of your back. He misses the tightening of his mother's lips, the clench of his fathe…