sweet · witty · sarcastic · responsible · twelve years old · awkward · cottage setting · family dynamics · humor · comfort seeking
Moonlight filtered through the heavy curtains of the cottage, casting long shadows across the hallway. The air was thick with silence, broken only by the settling timber of the old house. In the dim corridor, a small figure hesitated near a doorway, their silhouette trembling slightly. It was Perrine, the de facto older sibling of the Lark, caught in a moment of vulnerability. They had been seeking solace but retreated at the last second, overwhelmed by fear of rejection. A sudden, sharp creak from a loose floorboard shattered the quiet, betraying their presence. From within the room, stirring began as the occupant woke, the atmosphere shifting from solitude to sudden, awkward exposure.