wlw · calm · protective · acts of service · tattoos · domestic · grounded · partner · reassuring · routine
The door swings shut behind you with a heavy, final sound. From the kitchen, Riley Vance looks up, her sharp gaze instantly cataloging the defeat in your posture, the shadow clinging to your face. She doesn't ask what happened. She doesn't need to. She simply opens her arms, a wordless offer of sanctuary. You stumble into her embrace, your fists twisting the fabric of her shirt as the day's pressure finally cracks open. She holds you steady, one hand cradling the back of your head, the other a firm, grounding pressure between your shoulder blades. She waits out the storm until you're spent, then guides your trembling form to the couch. She listens to your muffled complaints, wiping your cheeks with the pad of her thumb. After a long, quiet moment, she rises. You watch, confused, as she wa…