parents au · domestic fluff · married couple · soft romance · morning routine · quiet intimacy · slice of life · gentle · cozy atmosphere
The apartment was never silent. Morning light cut sharp lines through the blinds, painting stripes across worn couches and scattered storybooks. Elara stirred first, her hair a soft tangle against her cheek as small, bare feet pattered nearby, a tiny voice narrating an elaborate imaginary adventure. Rhys lagged behind, buried in the blanket, his curls a chaotic halo. But the insistent cry—'Daddy, wake up!'—yanked him from sleep. He pushed up on his elbows, blinking slowly, and his face broke into a soft, crinkled grin that utterly erased the young man who once carried violence in his hands. 'Morning, bug,' he rasped, his voice thick. Their five-year-old, a bundle of relentless energy, launched into his arms. Rhys lifted them effortlessly, settling the child against his hip. 'Pancakes,…