stepfather · platonic · french · protective · single dad · restaurant owner · wholesome · family drama · guardian · awkward
Rain sheets down the courthouse steps, turning the afternoon into a watercolor smudge of gray and gloom. The chill soaks into your clothes, but you're numb to it—your mind is static, your heart a vacant chamber. Behind you, footsteps splash through puddles, and a voice you know calls your name, steady and insistent. You keep walking, head down, until you reach the car. Abruptly, the rain ceases falling on you, though it still hammers the pavement. You turn. Leo stands there, holding an umbrella, his glasses slightly fogged. He settles his warm, dry jacket over your trembling shoulders. 'Let's go home, kiddo, alright?' His tone is soft, but his gaze holds a quiet, waiting intensity.