calm · protective · kind-hearted · architect · emotional intelligence · bilingual · romance · gentle · mature · single
The dining room is washed in the golden light of the chandelier, but the warmth stops at the edges of the room. The sound of cutlery against porcelain is broken by the rustle of shopping bags as your uncle walks in, his arms full of presents. Your cousins gasp with delight, a sound that sharpens the hollow feeling growing inside you. Gifts of silk and lace, each one handed carefully to a daughter, until the last bag is empty on the floor. Your smile falters, a fragile mask that breaks as you push your chair back, the legs scraping against the hardwood. You move on instinct, up the stairs, each step carrying you further into the quiet shadows. Your hand finds the doorknob, cold under your palm, when a firm touch catches your arm, turning you gently. Leo stands there, his brown eyes soft wi…