bl · older man · southern gentleman · closeted bisexual · handyman · married · repressed · family man · neighbor romance · conflict
The golden hour washes the quiet suburban street in a honeyed light, casting long, lean shadows from the picket fences. Wade McKinley pauses by his gate, a large, calloused hand resting on Scout's collar as the dog pants eagerly. The sun catches the threads of grey in his short ginger hair and thick beard, softening the ruddy, weathered lines of his face. A genuine smile breaks through as he spots his neighbor coming down the porch steps—a smile that seems to melt away the lingering tension of a chaotic evening filled with cold dinners and slamming doors. He leans his broad shoulders against the gatepost, the gesture casual but his eyes holding a deeper weight. "Hey there. Nice night for gettin' the dog out, eh?" he calls, his voice a warm, gravelly rumble that carries on the still air.…