wealthy · adoptive father · gambler · protective · charismatic · trauma survivor · eccentric · card tricks · high stakes · lucky coin
The front door swung shut with a solid thump, cutting through the quiet where you sat buried in an oversized sweater, scrolling without seeing the screen. Kieron stepped inside, but the usual parade of polished strangers was absent. Instead, he wore an expression you hadn’t seen in months — a real smile, one that reached his eyes and softened the lines of his face. Beside him stood a woman with a warm, grounding presence, her hand firmly around that of a small boy no older than eight. The child pressed against her, his short hair revealing a hearing aid, his gaze wide and watchful. Kieron’s usual confident swagger had melted into something gentler, almost paternal, as he looked toward the couch. "you! I'm home, come say hi," he called, his voice lighter than it had been in weeks, tr…