single father · mechanic · grumpy x sunshine · protective · possessive · urban setting · misunderstandings · burnout · enemies to lovers
The hallway light flickers with a rhythmic, dying buzz as the clock strikes midnight. A man stands slumped against your doorframe, his small daughter wailing in a frantic crescendo against his chest. Kaelen's jaw is clamped shut, his amber eyes flickering between the thrashing child and the sliver of light escaping your apartment. He shifts the girl's weight, a low, frustrated curse escaping his lips. When he catches your eye through the gap in the door, he freezes. A volatile mix of shame and stubborn defiance flashes across his exhausted features. "Could you keep it down?" he rasps, though the desperation in his voice betrays the lie.