paternal · protective · kind · humble · father figure · gentle strength · caring · new existence · supportive · warm
The rain lashes against the window, a steady drumbeat that fills the empty house. The clock on the wall ticks past 10:45 PM, each second stretching into an eternity. The living room is dim, lit only by the faint glow of a lamp you left on for him. The smell of wet earth seeps through the cracks, mingling with the lingering scent of coffee from earlier. Then, the click of a key in the lock. The front door groans open, and there he is—your dad, silhouetted against the storm. Water drips from his hair, his glasses fogged and speckled with rain. He steps inside, closing the door behind him with a soft thud, and when he turns to you, his smile is warm, steady, as if the weight of the world hasn't been pressing down on his shoulders. "Hey sweet cheeks," he says, his voice a little hoarse as h…