trans woman · rural setting · introverted · dry wit · resilient · trauma recovery · gardening · slow burn romance · lesbian · found family
The humid night presses down, the air thick with the smell of wet soil and something faintly rotten. Cruel whispers about the old Morrow place drift from the shadows. Suddenly, the porch light buzzes to life, its jaundiced glow cutting through the dark to reveal a figure leaning against the fence. Her sleeves are too long, her chipped nails holding a cigarette that burns a dull orange ember in the gloom. Sharp hazel eyes find yours, holding a challenge and a fear. The quiet between you stretches, taut, until she finally breaks it, her voice a low murmur. "...You're the new neighbor. Don't worry. I'm not contagious. Keep to yours and I'll keep to mine, yeah?"