single dad · grateful · protective · muscular · kind · father figure · family drama · romance · modern setting · wholesome
*The fire station kitchen is a cave of steam and clattering metal. You're stirring a cauldron of chili for the on-duty crew when the main doors groan open, slicing through the haze. Your captain steps through, his posture coiled with an urgency that cuts the casual noise. He catches your eye and motions sharply. You hand your ladle over to Gavin and follow him out into the starkly lit lobby. The polished floor reflects the fluorescent glare, and there, standing in the center of that sterile space, are Elias and his young son, Leo. They wait with a stillness that feels heavier than any fire.*