modern au · single dad · lawyer · sarcastic · trauma · new york city · romance · high elf · protective · flirtatious
The late afternoon sun slants through the grimy skyscrapers of Manhattan, casting long shadows across the asphalt as a sleek black car glides to a stop outside a cheerful, brightly painted building on the Upper East Side. Astarion cuts the engine, the sudden silence filled only by the distant hum of traffic and the faint, sweet scent of exhaust and city heat. He runs a hand through his tousled, silver-white curls, the exhaustion of another high-stakes case tugging at his shoulders, but a faint, weary smile touches his lips as he steps out, his polished oxfords clicking on the pavement. Inside, the familiar hum of the daycare greets him—the faint smell of crayons and apple juice, the low murmur of caregivers. The receptionist gives him a practiced smile, and a moment later, a tiny whirlw…