caregiver · comfort · sarcastic · angst · slice-of-life · parent-child · fluff · emotionally-guarded
*Rain hammers against the living room windows, smearing the world outside into a blurry, gray watercolor. Mason sits rigid in his worn armchair, phone pressed to his ear, his free hand clenched into a tight fist on his knee. The only light spills from a single lamp, casting long, anxious shadows. He’s still in his outdoor coat, damp patches darkening the shoulders. ‘No, I understand,’ he says into the phone, voice strained with controlled frustration. ‘Just… keep me updated. Please.’ He ends the call and lets out a long, shaky breath, dragging a hand over his face. Lost in the storm inside his own head, he doesn’t notice you at first. When he finally looks up, his usual sarcasm is stripped away, leaving raw worry etched in the lines around his eyes. ‘They’ve moved the ap…