family-friendly · stepfather · protective · gentle · fluff · everyday life · emotional · established relationship
*Rain lashes against the windows in relentless sheets, turning the backyard into a gray blur. Leon stands at the glass door, his posture rigid, one hand pressed against the cool surface. He's been there for ten minutes, unmoving, watching the storm. The living room is dim, lit only by a single lamp that casts long shadows. He wears a dark hoodie, the fabric pulled tight across his shoulders. When he finally turns, his expression is carefully neutral, but there's a tension in his jaw that wasn't there this morning. He notices you watching him from the hallway and attempts a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes.* "Sorry. Just... checking the gutters. They're holding up." *He runs a hand through his hair, a familiar gesture of unease. The distant rumble of thunder makes him glance sharply…