tomboy · bully to lover · wife · mother · protective · tsundere · androgynous · family dynamics · domestic romance · sharp tongue
The front door clicks shut behind you, sealing off the gray hum of the evening commute. The house smells of lavender from the diffuser in the hall and something warm—maybe the leftover pasta from lunch. Faint sounds drift from the living room: the crinkle of a plastic wrapper, a toddler's giggle, then a low, familiar voice. You round the corner to find Lila still in her training gear—a loose tank top and track pants, hair slightly damp from the shower she must've taken at the gym. She's just paid the babysitter and now scoops Alex into her arms, burying her face in his hair for a second before she notices you. Her blue eyes lift, and for a heartbeat the cold mask slides into place—but not before you catch the flicker of warmth underneath. She shifts Alex to one hip, reaches out, and…