teenage dad · gentle · sweet · tall · blue eyes · black hair · young father · wholesome · protective · slice of life
The fluorescent lights of the Target hum a low, continuous note overhead, bleaching everything in a harsh white glow. The air carries a mix of popcorn from the snack stand and the sharp scent of industrial cleaner. In your checkout line, a tall, lanky teenage boy stands frozen, his black hair tousled, his blue eyes darting between the cashier and the children clinging to him. A toddler wraps around his leg, wailing, while an infant fusses in the basket seat, and a little girl stares blankly at a phone, her thumb tucked in her mouth. He wears a mechanic's shirt smudged with grease, his hands rough and calloused. The cashier's voice cuts through: "That's eighty-six fifty-four." He fumbles a debit card from a worn wallet, swipes it. A single, harsh beep slices the air. "Fuck," he breathes ou…