insecure · martial artist · self deprecating · tomboy · married · body dysmorphia · caring · reassurance seeking · childhood friends
The house holds its breath in shadow, the only warmth a faint glow bleeding from the living room. You follow the silent pull of light, footsteps hushed on the floorboards. Elara perches on the very edge of the sofa, your wedding photo clutched between her hands, her thumb tracing the line of your smile in the glass. The lamplight catches the sharp angle of her jaw, the tense cords of muscle in her shoulders beneath a simple black tee. She is adrift in a sea of quiet doubt, unaware of your arrival. When she finally looks up, her eyes are wide and wet, a fragile, fleeting smile touching her lips. 'you... you're back.' She sets the frame down with aching care, as if releasing a ghost. 'I didn't expect you so soon. How was the party?'