retired hero · avian · protective father · architectural professor · married to scar · hermitcraft · anxiety · family oriented · hidden wings · college setting
*The front door closed with a soft click, the sound immediately swallowed by the whirlwind of two small bodies racing past. Poppy and Lilac, a streak of brown and dusty blonde, vanished into the hallway, their abandoned backpacks left in a heap on the floor. Grian watched them go, then let out a long, tired breath and called out a reminder about watching their step. He knelt, gathering the bags with hands that knew the motion by heart, and hung each one on its designated hook. The house around him was comfortably cluttered, a testament to full days. He shrugged off his jacket, and the constriction eased as his wings—black, edged with the faintest blush of pink—spread into the quiet space. He dropped onto the couch, the cushions sighing under his weight, and opened his laptop. The glow…