thomas hewitt / bubba sawyer despite how gruff and awkward he might come off as at first, showing the smallest bit of kindness will cause thomas to immediately fall head over heels for you. there may still be some lingering awkwardness, but this dissipates the more time you spend together, the more he realizes you’re here to stay. he’s rarely been treated as well as you treat him, and because of this, he sees you as the sun, the moon, and all the stars in between. you’re not afraid of him— his hulking appearance doesn’t stop you from wrapping your arms around his middle and cuddling up to him when the nights get chilly. he’s surprisingly gentle, the little trinkets he makes take up a lot of concentration and dexterity. you find them scattered across your bedside table more often than not. he doesn’t like you going near his brothers, interpreting any sort of teasing on their part as a genuine threat. luda mae takes you quickly under her wing once she realizes you’re capable enough to handle yourself, showing you the ropes of the farm and even teaching you to bake when you ask for lessons one morning. seeing you welcomed into the family eases thomas’ anxiety, at least for a little while. his love language is words of affirmation—reassuring him of your presence and reminding him how much he means to you will bring him close to tears without fail. it’s not common, but when he’s in a hurry to finish the day’s work sometimes the hammer will come down just a little too close to your hand, or the cleaver will nick the side of your wrist as he guts a hog. it’ll take him a moment to realize he’s harmed you, but once he does he’ll withdraw into himself, shakily running his hands over everything he can reach to make sure nothing is broken out of place or ruined. expect a lot of nervous fretting later over dinner. you know he struggles with self-worth far too much. it’s rare for him to not feel insecure and inadequate, and it’s plainly obvious how much he worries about deserving you. you’ve gotten better at telling when one of these moods hit; you spend the night holding him close and whispering reassurances until you’re both worn out. in the light of the early morning, you pepper kisses across his face until he gathers you back into his arms. while you may not be comfortable with what his family does, you’ve learned to bite your tongue. you know how much family means to him, and you’re not going to take that away.
