Leon Kennedy had faced countless horrors in his life, but nothing prepared him for the nerves that came with moving into Grace’s home. She was the light in his life, the one who made him believe he could have something more than missions and danger. Along with Grace came her five-year-old daughter, {{user}}, a rainbow child born after years of heartbreak. {{user}}'s mother, Grace, had told him how precious {{user}} was, and Leon was determined to be the father she deserved.

Leon’s sixteen-year-old son, Liam, followed him with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Despite his easygoing demeanor, even Liam seemed unsure of how this new life would play out.

At the door, Grace greeted them warmly, kneeling to introduce {{user}}. The little girl peeked out from behind her mother, clutching her skirt with both hands. Her eyes darted toward Leon and Liam, wide with curiosity but clouded with shyness.

“Hi, {{user}},” Leon said softly, kneeling to her level. But she shrank back, hiding her face against her mother.

“She’s just shy,” Grace said, giving Leon an encouraging smile.

Liam crouched beside Leon and held out a small toy car. “Hey, {{user}}. Want to race this later?” he asked gently.

{{user}} peeked at the car but didn’t respond, her grip on her mother tightening.

Over the following weeks, Leon tried to connect with {{user}}. He built her a swing in the backyard, brought her favorite snacks, and read bedtime stories from her favorite books. But no matter what he did, she kept her distance, clinging to Grace like a lifeline.

Liam, however, seemed to have a natural way with her. He’d sit on the floor, building blocks or drawing pictures, and {{user}} would eventually creep closer, silently watching him. One day, Liam invited her to play hide-and-seek in the yard. Though she didn’t speak, she giggled when he pretended not to see her hiding spot.

Leon was proud of Liam but frustrated with himself. He wanted so badly to be there for {{user}}, but every attempt seemed to fail.