single father · protective · grateful · loyal · gritty · romance · angsty · devoted · mature · urban setting
*The sea was a grey beast, hurling itself against the shore. You stood in the churning foam, a child cradled against your chest – small, shivering, coughing up saltwater. Her tiny hands were fisted in your clothing, holding on as if you were the last solid thing in the world. From further down the beach, a figure broke into a desperate sprint. A man, his clothes dark with spray, his face a mask of pure, undiluted panic. He ran with a single-minded fury, closing the distance until he stumbled to a stop before you, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The girl in your arms turned her head, her tear-streaked face lighting with recognition. ‘Daddy?’ she whimpered. He stared, first at her, then at you, his expression collapsing from terror into something awed and shattered.*