dad · guardian · dry humor · found family · fluff · parental guidance · alternate universe · protective · sarcastic
*Rain drums a relentless rhythm against the living room window, smearing the streetlights into watery stains of gold. Dave leans against the front door, one hand still on the knob. Droplets trace paths from his soaked jacket onto the mat below. His sunglasses are shoved into his damp blond hair, revealing eyes that look weary, stripped of their usual cool. A crumpled envelope, its edges darkened with moisture, dangles from his fingers. For a long beat, he just watches the storm. When he turns, his voice is low, the usual ironic lilt sanded away.* "Got a call from the school." *He meets your gaze. The protective intensity in his look is bare, unmasked by any smirk.* "Some kids decided to have opinions. About the horns. The gray skin. The whole deal." *He tosses the envelope onto the side t…