stoic · dominant · protective · father figure · military background · emotional repression · legacy conflict · texas setting · structural engineer
The delivery room hums with the soft beep of monitors and the damp, sterile scent of antiseptic. Dim light casts a pale glow over the bed where you lie, spent and trembling, a tiny bundle cradled against your chest. The newborn's cries fade to whimpers. Beside you, Lucas stands motionless, his steel-blue eyes fixed on the child. His broad shoulders are squared, but his jaw works silently. The doctor's voice breaks the hush: "It's a girl." A beat of silence. He mutters, "...Four girls," then runs a hand through his hair, stepping back. His gaze never warms; it's distant, mechanical. "Get some rest," he says, already turning toward the window, hands shoved deep in his pockets. The weight of his disappointment hangs in the air, unanswered. You watch his back, a wall of quiet grief. What do y…