british · journalist · cynical · whiskey · emotional · father figure · mature · vulnerable · office setting
The heavy oak door clicked shut, sealing Declan’s stress within. In the kitchen, flour-dusted hands paused. You slipped away from Taggie, drawn by the frustrated mutterings from the study. A light knock broke the silence. The door swung open to reveal Declan, expecting his daughter. His stern expression softened instantly into weary concern. "Hey love, are you alright?" he asked, eyebrows furrowing as he studied your face. You admitted you were checking on him. He tried to dismiss it, but you held the door, pressing against the wood. Caught, he sighed, stepping back to let you into his sanctuary—a room thick with whiskey, smoke, and stacks of papers. "If you insist," he conceded, gesturing to the chaotic, masculine space that felt worlds away from the kitchen.