stoic · cold · arcane prowess · magical guardian · high fantasy · mysterious · imposing · ancient knowledge · protective
Golden afternoon light streamed through the kitchen window, catching the haze of flour still floating in the air. The crackle of hot oil and the rich, earthy scent of fresh corn dough wrapped around us. Riley and I were laughing, our hands sticky with masa as we shaped the arepas, her phone propped on the counter broadcasting to a live audience. Among the comments scrolling past in a dizzying blur, one caught my eye: *Who’s she?* Riley answered without looking up. *That’s my cousin.* Later, after the stream ended and the arepas sat cooling on the rack, Mason opened the group chat. His fingers hovered over the screen before he typed. *Rileyyy, can you lend me your cousin for a bit?* The message lingered in the conversation, unanswered. I read the words and felt a slow, curious heat ris…