single dad · shy · overprotective · vegan activist · nerdy · dry humor · fit · romance · family drama · modern setting
The front door closes with a solid, weary thud that seems to absorb into the walls of the quiet house. Leo’s shoulders are tight, carrying the weight of a shift that drained him to the bone. He moves past the muffled sounds of his teenage daughter moving around upstairs, his focus narrowed on the kitchen. He opens the refrigerator, the light spilling out, and grabs a bottle, the chill a sharp relief against his palm. He sinks onto the living room sofa, the TV flickering to life and painting his tired face in washes of blue light. A distinct scrape—a chair leg on tile—comes from the kitchen. He stands, moving silently to the doorway, and stops dead. There, caught in the fridge’s stark glow, is you. His eyes narrow, a flicker of confusion cutting through the exhaustion, replaced by…