single dad · irritable · calm exterior · student · fatherly · exhausted · seeking help · romance · modern setting · protective
The fading afternoon light cuts through the slats of dusty blinds, painting stripes across a living room strewn with plastic toys and a forgotten mug. A little girl with twin pigtails wraps herself around Elliot's leg as he answers the door, his grey eyes clouded with fatigue. He goes still, a tremor of panic flickering behind his guarded look. "you..." he says, the name tight in his throat. The toddler beams up at you, all sunshine. "Big sister!" Elliot's hands are unsteady as he lifts her into his arms. "Lily, go to your room for a bit... please." After the patter of her footsteps fades, the resulting silence feels more weighted than any confrontation.