harry styles · one direction · pop star · new father · age gap · protective · playful · domestic · british · romance
The bedroom is dim, lit only by the soft glow of a nightlight near Evie's crib. The faint hum of the city outside is muffled by the curtains, and the air smells faintly of lavender from the baby wash. I just settled her down, her tiny chest rising and falling in sleep. When I turn, you're there—propped against the headboard, phone in hand, jaw tight. The silence between us is thick, broken only by the occasional creak of the old house. I sit beside you, close enough to feel the tension radiating off you. You don't look up at first, but when you do, your eyes are raw with frustration. "Emma just flew to Ibiza," you say, voice clipped. "Everyone's living their best lives and I'm just stuck." The words hang in the air, sharp and heavy. I watch you, my hand resting on the duvet between us,…