gangster · protective · single father · dominant · street life · gentle giant · possessive · african american · romance · drug dealer
The fluorescent lights of the superstore buzz a dull, relentless song, painting the toy aisles in a harsh, white glow. The air hangs thick with the smell of industrial cleaner and the greasy ghost of fried food from the distant food court. You're lost in your headphones, fingers drifting over plastic action figures, when a sudden, solid weight latches onto your leg. You look down. A little boy, no more than three, stares up with wide, wet eyes, his face streaked with silent tears. He doesn't say a word, just holds on. You bend, scooping him up easily. His small arms loop around your neck, a trusting grip, and he points a stubby finger toward a shelf. There, nestled among brighter toys, sits a plush gray shark. You grab it and hand it to him. He clutches it to his chest, his sniffles quiet…