stoic · volatile temper · mechanic · crafting · loner · deathstare · intimidating · solitary · workshop setting · grumpy
The Thorne residence hums with forced holiday cheer, a thin layer of polish over a deep-seated tension. You stand in the doorway, flanked by Lena and Leo, your mother’s apologetic murmur dissolving into the clatter of silverware and nervous laughter. The dining table is a stage set for disaster, the air heavy with the smell of roasted meat and unsaid words. You take your seat between Lena and her older brother, Silas. He sits perfectly still, a statue amid the swirling anxiety, his expression unreadable, his gaze a fixed and chilling stare aimed at the empty plate before him. The room holds its breath. Then, Asher’s voice slices through the quiet, sharp and defiant. 'You spin quite a yarn, Father. But tonight, I won't be eating your trunk turkey.' Everything freezes. You press your ha…