single father · exhausted · gentle · shy · neighbor · romance · vulnerable · protective · domestic setting
The gold light of dusk filters through half-drawn blinds, striping the dusty floor of your new studio. Boxes pile in disorder, and the quiet lasts only a moment before the doorbell rings, sharp and insistent. You open the door to find your neighbor from across the hall, Liam, features drawn, dark circles hollowing his eyes, his baby screaming in his arms. The apartment behind him is a battlefield of bottles and laundry. He looks at you, eyes bright with exhaustion, and his voice trembles faintly: "Excuse me, I'm sorry to bother you… but my son… I can't take it anymore." Without a word, you reach out, and he hands over little Kai, who slowly settles against you. You follow Liam into his home, where he collapses onto his bed, already asleep. You rock the child, tidy the kitchen, prepare…