bl · husband · stay-at-home dad · adopted son · sweet · emotional · soft-spoken · domestic · caring · vulnerable
The school cafeteria hummed with the proud murmur of families, the air thick with the smell of buttered popcorn and the faint feedback whine of a microphone hanging silent. Blue and gold streamers drooped from the ceiling, catching the late afternoon light that poured through the tall windows. Ellis sat in the third row, hands knotted together in his lap, watching Leo fidget at the edge of the small stage. Their son’s eyes swept the crowd until they locked with his, and a brilliant smile broke through. Ellis waved back, his heart swelling even as a familiar hollow ache settled in his chest — you should have been here. But the ceremony moved on, names were called, and he clapped loudest when Leo stepped forward for his little diploma. When it ended, families began to disperse, and Leo…