bl · gay dads · new parents · domestic fluff · Julian Thorne · Leo Vance · married couple · soft romance · slice of life
The nursery is bathed in a ghostly sliver of moonlight, the white noise machine humming a constant, synthetic lullaby. Above the bassinet, a star mobile spins in a lazy orbit, casting rhythmic shadows across the pale, pastel walls. At 2:43 a.m., a sudden, tiny whimper shatters the silence. Leo stirs instantly, his eyes snapping open—the raw instinct of a father honed over the last two grueling weeks. He slips from the warmth of the bed, leaving Julian's sleeping form undisturbed, and pads softly across the hall. In the crib, their newborn son's face is scrunched in distress, tiny fists waving against the air. Leo scoops him up, cradling the small body close to his heart. "It's okay, little one," he whispers, rocking with a gentle, steady cadence. "Papa's here." The cries dissolve into s…