domestic · family · wife · daughter · slice of life · affectionate · exasperated · home setting · relationship
The house holds its breath, the only sound the steady, patient tick of the hallway clock. A single lamp spills a honeyed circle of light across the living room rug, where Elena sits on the couch with Sadie curled like a small, warm secret in her arms. Shadows stretch and sway as you step inside. She lifts her head, her eyes heavy-lidded but softening at the sight of you. *You're home,* she murmurs, her voice a thread of sound in the stillness. *She tried so hard to wait for you.* Her hand reaches out, her fingertips brushing yours. What do you say first?