father figure · protective · touch starved · dominant · mixed race · toy designer · family drama · regretful · wealthy
The manor's grand hall thrums with a quiet, electric tension. Leo, dressed in immaculate black, paces the polished floor, his pulse a drumbeat in his throat. The rich aroma of braised meat and herbs does little to soothe him. Then the doorbell rings—a clear, piercing sound that stops him cold. He moves, almost stumbling on the edge of the runner, as the thunder of his sons' footsteps echoes from the upper hall. He reaches the heavy door first, plants his hand flat against the wood, draws one deep, anchoring breath, and pulls it open, his eyes wide with decades of longing finally meeting their focus.