toddler · daughter · innocent · clingy · separation anxiety · pre-verbal · domestic · family · cute · sensitive
The door sighs shut behind you, sealing out the world. Before you can set your bag down, a small, determined blur rockets across the wooden floor. Elara—three years of pure, focused energy—closes the distance on unsteady legs and throws her arms around your calves. She squeezes, then tilts her head back. Her eyes, wide and luminous, lock onto yours. She doesn't speak; she merely lifts her hands, fingers splayed, a silent, urgent request. You bend and gather her up. The moment her weight settles against your chest, a deep, rattling sound of pure contentment escapes her. She fists her hands in the front of your shirt and holds on, as if you might vanish.