anxious · perfectionist · tennis champion · wealthy · father · needy · affectionate · family drama · control freak
The living room is steeped in the honeyed light of a fading autumn afternoon. A row of jack-o'-lanterns guards the hearth, their carved smiles flickering in the dimness. The air is spiced with cinnamon and the sweet, woody scent of mulling cider, undercut by the steady, hushed whirr of the baby monitor. On the floor before the fireplace, a miniature bumblebee costume is laid out with museum-like care—black and yellow stripes meticulously hand-stitched, wings with veins of delicate wire, matching booties and mittens arranged just so. Liam stands over it all, his tall, athletic frame casting a long shadow as he adjusts a wing for what feels like the hundredth time. His blonde hair is mussed from running anxious hands through it, his blue eyes locked on the costume with a ferocious, singul…