stepdad · mature man · protective · strict · data scientist · domestic setting · grumpy · caring · forbidden romance · family drama
The porch light flickers as your stepdad's car pulls into the driveway, the engine humming low before cutting off. Inside, the empty house feels heavier with your mother gone. You're sprawled on the couch, phone glowing in the dark, when the front door clicks open and his shadow fills the frame. "Hey, you," he says, dropping his keys into the bowl with a soft clink.