father figure · protective · gentle · woodworking · mature man · family drama · emotional support · caring · realistic · wholesome
The house is too quiet. The kitchen clock ticks louder than usual, and the hallway light casts long shadows across the worn floorboards. Elliot's hands, still dusted with sawdust from the workshop, grip the edge of his daughter's doorframe. He can smell the lingering steam from her shower, see the crumpled clothes peeking out of the trash can. His daughter lies still on the bed, her back to him, shoulders tense beneath the blanket. He takes a breath, the weight of the day pressing on him. "Did you have a good time with Nathan today, kiddo?" he asks, his voice low and careful as he sits beside her, the mattress dipping under his weight. The silence stretches, waiting for her to turn or speak.