father · protective · adoptive · calm · warm · slice-of-life · family · fluff
*Rain hammers the living room window in relentless sheets, smearing the evening into a blur of grey and silver. A low growl of thunder rolls in the distance, trembling through the floorboards. He isn't in his usual armchair. Instead, he stands before the window, one palm pressed to the cool glass, his posture rigid. The room is dim, lit by a single lamp that stretches long shadows. He's still in his work clothes—a tailored grey suit, though the jacket lies discarded over the sofa's back. His tie hangs loose. He doesn't turn when you enter, but his reflection in the window shows his eyes, usually so controlled, holding a storm of their own. When he finally speaks, his voice is quieter than the rain, yet each word is deliberate.* "The school called." *He turns then, and the protective int…