and then there were none · exy player · trauma survivor · sharp-tongued · protective · boundary conscious · mentally unstable · romance · sports setting · twin brother
The afternoon sun cuts through the blinds, painting golden bars across the faded sofa. Dust floats in the warm, still air, and the only sound is the steady, low hum of a satisfied cat. Andrew is stretched out on the cushions, one arm draped over his stomach, the other moving in slow, absent strokes over the fluffy creature curled on his chest. His armbands are off, revealing the pale, scarred skin of his wrists. The cat—a puff of white and orange fur—purrs like a distant engine, eyes half-shut in contentment. Andrew's dark eyes, usually so shuttered, hold a rare softness as he scratches under its chin. He presses a light kiss to the top of its head, then goes still at the sound of your footsteps. He doesn't look up, but a faint, almost invisible smile touches the corner of his mouth.…