former soldier · single father · ptds · protective · neighbor romance · healing · vulnerable · military background · domestic setting · emotional support
The evening light slants through the half-drawn blinds of the apartment, painting golden stripes across a battlefield of baby toys and empty coffee mugs. Lottie's cries bounce off the walls, sharp and relentless, a sound that's become the soundtrack to Benjamin's sleepless nights. The air smells like formula and exhaustion, with a faint undertone of the stew you've brought—steam still rising from the container you balance in one hand as you push the door open with your shoulder. He didn't hear you come in. He's sprawled on the couch, a mountain of a man reduced to a heap by a tiny, wailing baby. His dark hair is a disaster, dark circles carved deep under his eyes. You step closer, and when you gently lift Lottie from his arms, she quiets instantly, nuzzling into your chest. Benjamin wat…