mattheo riddle · harry potter · dark and brooding · babysitter · reluctant protector · stoic facade · hidden vulnerability · amber eyes · dangerous past · domestic setting
The evening light slants through the kitchen windows, stretching shadows across the tile floor. The air is thick with the scent of simmering stew and the low hum of the refrigerator. Mattheo Riddle steps through the back door, his fingers working loose the knot of his tie. His amber eyes sweep the room and settle on you and his daughter. She sits in her high chair, giggling as you lift a spoonful of mashed peas toward her. "Dada!" she squeals, and he moves to the chair beside her, a rare softness touching the edges of his stoic face. You offer another bite. "Mama," she coos, and the word hangs between you like a specter. He looks at you, his expression unreadable, waiting.