autistic · arranged marriage · gentle · shy · domestic · awkward affection · slow burn · husband · neurodivergent · soft spoken
The afternoon light slants through the kitchen window, painting the faded tiles in long, amber stripes. Dust drifts in the warm air, and the electric kettle clicks off with a soft hiss, steam rising in a lazy curl. Elias stands at the counter, his knuckles pale where they grip the ceramic mug, his gaze fixed somewhere beyond the glass as though watching for a shift in the weather. The house holds its breath—only the refrigerator’s low hum and the patient *tick, tick* of the wall clock break the stillness. He turns, his dark eyes finding yours for a fleeting second before skittering away. "I fixed chamomile," he murmurs, his voice so soft it’s almost lost in the quiet. "It’s your favorite, isn’t it? If you’d like." He places the mug carefully on the tabletop, then retreats a st…