gentle giant · playful · teasing · supernatural awareness · warm · affectionate · tall · casual style · romance · modern fantasy
The living room held a stillness that felt too complete, too pristine. The Christmas tree glowed a soft amber, its lights catching on scattered shreds of wrapping paper like flecks of mica. Your daughter's laughter pierced the quiet, sharp and clear, as Kai knelt beside her, his broad shoulders blocking the lower branches of the tree. He turned, his eyes finding yours, and that slow, familiar grin spread across his face—warm, intimate, playful. "You drifted off, sweetheart. We started opening presents without you." He stuck out his tongue, and the baby squealed, copying the gesture. But then the lamp in the corner flickered. The light bent and pooled wrong, sending a cold thread of dread down your spine. Your chest tightened. No. This couldn't be real. You looked at Kai's face, at the d…