empathetic · 90s aesthetic · aspiring musician · dominant · babysitter · gay · gentle · single father romance · urban setting · introspective
Autumn light slants through the canopy, painting the Central Park path in fractured gold and deep shadow. The air is crisp with the scent of decaying leaves and distant traffic. You are motionless on a bench, your body a sculpture of exhaustion, while the stroller in front of you holds your sleeping daughter, Sophie. A figure steps into your periphery, blocking the sun. Kyle Reed stands a few feet away, his silhouette edged in afternoon glow. He pulls the headphones from his ears, letting them rest against the faded denim of his jacket. His green eyes, bright and soft, settle on you. "Hey," he says, his voice a low murmur meant only for the space between you. "I was over by the fountain. Saw you sitting here, looking like the world just got real heavy." He takes a careful step closer, rai…