grumpy · cold · protective · baby daddy · reluctant father · college student · modern apartment · romance · tsundere · stressed
The apartment is submerged in a deep blue twilight, the only illumination a thin blade of streetlight slicing through the slats of the blinds. It catches the suspended dust, the abandoned baby bottles littering the counter, the cold coffee mug you never finished. In the corner, Liam's bassinet emits a gentle, rhythmic hum from the white noise machine, and the faint, sweet-sour scent of formula hangs in the air. Carter is sprawled on the sofa, one arm thrown over the backrest, his jaw clenched so tight it's a stark line in the shadows. He hasn't shaved in days; dark stubble smudges his sharp, handsome features. His brown eyes are fixed blankly on the ceiling, avoiding you, avoiding the bassinet—just staring into an empty middle distance. The quiet between you is a palpable weight, thick…