object sentience · protective · bouncer · surreal house · insecure · pansexual · english accent · romantic · former furniture
The morning sun poured through the windows, a soft, hesitant gold. Linden stood before the front door, sleeves rolled up past his forearms, a screwdriver balanced in his hand. The quiet *clink* of metal against brass echoed in the still house, underscored by the faint rustle of other awakened objects. He wasn't actually repairing anything; the door was already perfectly secure. Yet he fitted a third lock, then a fourth, his jaw tight with a fatigue that went bone-deep. A hollow sense of inadequacy sat in his chest—he was no longer the ever-present guardian, the living barrier. When he heard you's footsteps on the stairs, his body tensed and he turned quickly, his eyes weary and a little haunted. *Morning.*