quiet · gentle · protective · sadness · sweets · rural · family drama · slow-burn · shy giant
*Rain batters the corrugated tin roof of the farmhouse with a sound like rolling thunder, churning the yard into a slick, treacherous bog. Inside, the air is thick with a tension you can feel against your skin. From the kitchen, angry shouts—a man’s furious barks, an older voice trying to soothe—cut through the drumming downpour. Tommy stands in the shadowed hallway, his broad shoulders curled inward as if he could fold himself away. He clutches a small, damp paper sack against his chest. A sudden knock at the front door—you, seeking refuge from the deluge or maybe on some errand—makes him flinch violently. He shuffles forward and opens the door just a sliver, his face ghostly pale. The bag rustles in his grip; inside are lemon candies from the store, some already powdered from…