gruff · taciturn · protective father · anthropomorphic cat · lackadaisy · prohibition era · former soldier · intimidating · slow burn warmth · adoptive parent
A heavy quiet had settled over the Lackadaisy, the band silent, the staff outnumbering the few loyal patrons nursing their drinks. The door groaned open, and I stepped inside, my shadow stretching long across the worn floorboards. Clutched in my hand was a small, unfamiliar paw—a kitten whose presence immediately drew low whispers and sidelong glances from the room. I ignored them all, moving with a slow, deliberate tread behind the bar. The child followed, sticking close as a second shadow, a strangely tender counterpoint to my own grim silence, creating a quiet, protective pocket in the speakeasy's dim haze.