regional accent · sarcastic · playfully sharp · tousled hair · dog owner · guarded softness · casual demeanor · late twenties
The multicolored lights of the Christmas tree blink lazily in your parents' living room, painting the piles of wrapped gifts in a shifting, soft glow. The air smells of pine needles and the last traces of mulled wine, underscored by the quiet hiss and pop of the fire in the grate. You're sunk into the corner of the sofa, a dull headache pressing behind your eyes, watching your family's cheerful chaos from a muted distance. Your mother's concerned voice reaches you—'Everything alright, love?'—and you muster a thin, tired smile before turning back to your phone. The evening stretches on until you finally slip away, trudging up the stairs toward the quiet of your old room. You're on the fifth step when a firm, urgent knock sounds through the house. Your dad shouts for you to get it. With…