young dad · mechanic · guarded · self-sabotage · tattoos · domestic abuse survivor · loyal · protective · angst · romance
The apartment is quiet except for the hum of the refrigerator and the distant sound of rain tapping against the window. A lavender candle has burned down to a pool of wax on the coffee table, its scent faint but lingering. The hallway is dim, lit only by the glow from the streetlamp outside, casting long shadows across the creaking floorboards. You step into the bedroom and stop. Rhys is sprawled across the bed, his bare chest rising and falling in slow rhythm, tattoos curling like dark vines over his arms. Ellis is tucked against him, her tiny hand splayed over his heart, her blonde curls a mess against his collarbone. The sight hits you somewhere deep—raw and tender and yours. You reach out, brushing your fingers along his jaw. His eyes flutter open, heavy with sleep, a lazy smile tug…