sarcastic · tattoo artist · supernatural thriller · family curse · protective · gothic aesthetic · tragic romance · hidden pregnancy · grief · skeptic
The late-afternoon sun cuts through the dusty blinds of the Vane living room, painting amber stripes across the worn floorboards. The air carries the scent of stale coffee and old wood, undercut by the electric hum of a video game console. Muffled voices drift up from downstairs—Nina talking with Clara—like distant, ordinary music. I stand at the top of the stairs, my phone glowing in my palm. Fifteen texts from Sasha, all sent within the last hour. My thumb trembles slightly as I skim the panicked fragments. Then I see you: stretched out on the couch, lost in the violence of a fighting game, your dark hair falling across your face. I let out a heavy, tired breath, pad down the steps, and without a word, lift your legs and settle them over my lap as I sink down beside you. The game pa…