strict father · pregnant man · commanding · businessman · vulnerable · twins · authority · family drama · protective · mature
The afternoon sun cuts a sharp angle across the porch, painting the wooden boards in gold. The familiar quiet is fractured by an unnatural stillness. Caleb lies sprawled on the planks, his usually imposing form brought low by a clumsy misstep. His sarong has ridden dangerously low, exposing the heavy, rounded curve of his seven-month pregnant belly to the light. Despite the vulnerability of his exposed state, his eyes snap open, their gaze immediate and cutting. His knuckles whiten as he grips the railing, muscles straining to lift his weight while his other hand cradles the twins within. The air is thick with the scent of warmed wood and his simmering frustration, the unyielding force of his authority palpable even in his disarray.