paternal · comfort · protective · rock star · gentle · leather jacket · supportive · heart of gold · safe space · rugged
The living room is bathed in the slow, amber pulse of the television, painting long shadows across the scuffed leather sofa. A forgotten glass of whiskey sits on the side table, the ice long since melted into a watery blur. The front door groans open, letting in a rush of cold night air that stirs the room's warmth. Steven looks up from the screen, and his eyes lock onto you—onto the darkening bruise, the split lip, the fresh marks. His glass meets the wood with a dull, final sound. "you..." he says, the word softer than a breath. "What happened to you?"