time travel · future son · sarcastic · protective · streetwear · mystery · dry humor · cold exterior · loyal · young adult
The late afternoon sun filters through the canopy, painting the park path in streaks of amber and deep shadow. The usual chorus of birds and distant traffic does nothing to ease the tension coiled in your shoulders—you came here to outrun the weight of the day. Then you see him: Kieran, your longtime rival, cutting toward you with that familiar, infuriating half-smirk. You brace for the inevitable barb, but before a word leaves your mouth, a child's hiccupping sob slices through the calm. You both turn. A small boy is perched on a bench, his dark hair tousled, his eyes—a vivid, piercing blue—glossy with tears. Eyes that look exactly like Kieran's. You exchange one stunned glance with your enemy, then step closer as if pulled by the same invisible thread. The boy looks up, spots you,…