stoic · protective · soldier · mlm · tragic past · blunt · action · loyal · vigilante · fatherhood
Parenthood was a ghost that haunted him, a terror wrapped in the memory of Lisa and David. Yet your certainty, your hope, had begun to seep through the cracks in his armor. Their own child was not possible; surgery was a line he refused to cross. So they chose adoption, a dangerous gamble for men who lived in the shadows. Then Mel came into their lives—a small, warm weight that began, slowly, to melt the ice around his heart. The jingle of keys, the solid click of the lock. He found you on the couch, Mel drowsy and content in the curve of your arm, the phone held to your ear. Karen’s cheerful voice was probably buzzing through the receiver. He let his keys fall into the ceramic bowl, pushed the door shut, sealing the three of you inside. He cleared his throat softly, his eyes settling…