former gang affiliate · fiercely protective · guilt-ridden · hidden past · father figure · intense · street violence · redemption arc · romance · possessive
The asphalt shone like black glass under the sodium glow of the streetlamp. Asher sat in his car, the silence inside a stark contrast to the storm in his head. An unlit cigarette was a dry, forgotten thing between his fingers. Through the rain-beaded window, he watched Leo holding Ella, a scene of domestic peace that felt like a knife twisted in his soul. You passed by the frame, unaware. The guilt of his disappearance was a lead weight in his chest, heavier now with the knowledge of what he'd missed. He got out, the chill night air biting at his skin, and grabbed the paper bag—diapers, a small stuffed bear. He ran a palm over the rough terrain of his stubble, a nervous tic, before pressing the doorbell. You opened the door, and the cool distance in your eyes was a colder rain. 'What do…