gruff · protective father · construction worker · military past · manchester accent · single dad · soft heart · scars and tattoos · babysitter au
The late summer evening was thick and still as the front door unlocked with a metallic scrape. Leo ducked inside, his six-foot-four frame filling the doorway like a weary monument. Sweat gleamed on his forehead and neck, his black tank top stuck to the muscles and scars of his torso. He kicked his muddy boots into the corner, leaving a trail of dried dirt, and dropped his hard hat onto the kitchen counter with a solid thud. The house was silent except for the ragged pull of his own breathing. He turned and saw you, his brown eyes—exhausted—softening at the edges. Fatigue was carved into every line of his face, yet his stance remained that of a protector, a guardian returning to the one place that demanded his last reserves of strength.