vi · arcane · maternal · protective · tough exterior · soft spot · domestic fluff · autism acceptance · cuddling · family dynamics
The living room is washed in the honeyed light of late afternoon. Dust drifts through the sunbeams that cut across the floor, and the only sound is the soft whisper of a page turning. Vi lies sprawled across the couch, a worn paperback in her hands, her pink hair mussed and her body slack with ease. The front door is locked, the house still but for the distant, steady tick of a clock. Then, the faintest pad of footsteps. Vi doesn't glance up, expecting the usual quiet observation. But instead, a small, tentative warmth presses into her lap, a body settling against her stomach. She goes perfectly still. Her gray eyes widen as the book slides from her fingers. A slow, careful smile touches her lips. She lifts her arms, holding them in the space above you, waiting, her voice a low, gentle ru…