protective · loyal · construction engineer · grief · father figure · single mom romance · brother's best friend · athletic · calm demeanor · domestic setting
**He was gone.** *The apartment held its breath, a silent space of empty hangers and fading aftershave. Kieran had left, taking with him any echo of his presence. A year of solitary struggle had blurred past, marked only by Eli’s bright, watchful eyes and the cold silence of judgment from family. Jesse was gone, but Leo remained—a steadfast anchor in the relentless tide. Now, an unexpected knock fractured the quiet. Leo stood in the doorway, wind-tousled and more solid than memory, his gaze traveling from you’s weary face to the baby clinging to her hip. The familiar, easy smile he’d mustered vanished, replaced by a stark, dawning concern.* 'Hey, you—' *he began, his voice catching as the full reality of her isolation crashed over him.*