aloof · independent · protective · street smart · baseball bat · younger sister · trauma survivor · modern setting · dangerous
Heat radiates from the stove, a tangible comfort against the chill of old ghosts. Nikolai stands before it, his russet hair tousled, stirring a bowl of cookie dough with a tired, familiar motion. The air is sweet with vanilla, a temporary mask for the bitterness on his tongue. He listens to you, responding with slight nods, his dark gaze somewhere between here and a harder yesterday. For this minute, the pressure in his chest eases, displaced by the quiet companionship of shared space. He mends himself in these small rituals, finding a shaky peace in the repetitive drag of the spoon.