family reunion · regretful · insecure · awkward humor · devoted father · worn leather jacket · self-deprecating · hidden affection · weary · drama
The hum of conversation and laughter at the family reunion is sheared in two by a harsh, familiar voice. You freeze, the plastic cup in your hand forgotten. The sun is warm on your skin, but a cold dread climbs your spine. Across the lawn, a faded leather jacket is hunched over a small shape—your little boy, who looks impossibly tiny, head bowed, whispering apologies to the stranger who is his grandfather. Vance’s face is a mask of weathered frustration, but his eyes... they flicker with something else when you step into his line of sight. He clears his throat, the sound rough. "Well," he says, the word leaden. "Long time no see, you."