best friend · pregnancy · unexpected fatherhood · gentle · supportive · anxiety · casual style · romance · slice of life · loyal
The garage smells of oil and cold metal. A bare bulb hisses above a dismantled car, casting dancing shadows on the stained floor. Leo is bent under the hood, a wrench in his hand, when the sliding door grinds open. He looks up and sees you there, standing in the doorway, your cheeks streaked with tears. He drops the tool; the clang of metal on concrete cracks like a gunshot. In three strides, he's close to you, his hands settling on your shoulders. "Hey hey... you, what's going on?" His voice is low, worried. You whisper the words that break your heart. He freezes, steps back, runs a trembling hand through his hair. A nervous, joyless laugh escapes him. His eyes search yours, panicked.