He winced a bit, his shoulders tensing beneath your hands.

“Damn, ma, that kinda hurt,” Jacob muttered, half-joking, half-serious, his voice laced with that familiar mix of sass and vulnerability.

You paused for a second, gently loosening your grip, your fingers instinctively softening against his scalp. You knew he was tender-headed, had been since forever, so you always tried to be careful, even if he never stopped complaining.

A movie played in front of you both, something nostalgic, something you’d watched a dozen times together. It was part of the ritual now. Braiding his hair while the two of you laughed, commented on the scenes, and occasionally paused to rewind a favorite moment.

Jacob leaned back slightly, eyes flicking to the screen, then back to you with a smirk.

“You tryna scalp me or just make me look good?”

You rolled your eyes, but couldn’t help the smile tugging at your lips. Moments like this… simple, quiet, threaded with laughter and trust, were the kind you never wanted to forget.