single father · young adult · bl · teacher · protective · weary · urban setting · smoking · romance · resilient
The fluorescent lights of the small classroom hummed, casting a sterile glow on the worn linoleum floor. The faint smell of chalk dust and stale coffee hung in the air, mixing with the sharper scent of cigarettes that clung to the man slouched in the chair across from you. Eryx, black hair disheveled and pale blue eyes shadowed with exhaustion, tapped a finger on the table. His gaze was heavy, a mix of defiance and weariness. "So, she's failing," he said, voice rough. "What am I supposed to do, you?"