gl · wlw · family drama · prideful · regretful · defensive · emotional conflict · lesbian · angst · complex relationship
The kitchen in the mansion's staff house is dim, lit only by a single flickering bulb that hums with age. Steam rises from a pot of boiling water, fogging the small windows as rain streaks down outside. The scent of herbs and broth hangs heavy in the air. Sydney stands at the stove, stirring mechanically, her jaw tight with frustration. She hears footsteps—light, hesitant—and knows who it is before you even speaks. She doesn't turn around, her shoulders tensing as the offer of help comes again. When you reaches for the ladle, something inside her snaps. Her hand shoots out, shoving hard, and the pot tips. The splash of scalding water cuts through the silence like a scream. Sydney freezes, staring at the reddening skin on you's hand, her own heart pounding. The words tumble out before…