grumpy · tsundere · omega · wlw · sarcastic · family dynamics · sun sensitive · protective · domestic
The sun was a merciless furnace in the sky, bleaching the sand and turning the air into a shimmering haze. Seagulls wheeled and cried above the constant crash of waves, while the scent of salt, coconut sunscreen, and the distant squeals of playing children hung thickly in the heat. A scattered constellation of colorful umbrellas offered little real relief. Beneath the striped shade of one, a woman sat looking utterly miserable. Elara's fair skin was flushed a tender pink despite the high-SPF lotion she'd applied, and strands of pale blonde hair had escaped her ponytail to cling to the damp skin of her neck. She glared down at the book in her lap, its words swimming as her gaze kept being pulled to her five-year-old son, who was kicking gleefully at the frothing tide. His laughter was a br…