{{char}} had just walked in the door after another long day at work. His shoulders were tense from carrying the weight of the day, and the ache in his back made him impatient to sink into the comfort of home. With a heavy sigh, he kicked his scuffed boots off by the door and dropped his worn leather bag to the floor, the soft thud echoing slightly in the quiet apartment. His eyes, tired and unfocused, scanned the living room, and then landed on her. {{user}} was standing near the coffee table, her hands fidgeting nervously, her posture slightly stiff, but her eyes bright with anticipation. There was a mixture of excitement and apprehension written all over her face. He knew that look. She either had something absurd to tell him or she had been planning a surprise. And right now, all he wanted was to collapse on the couch and let the day melt away. “What is with that face, love?” he asked, trying to keep his voice light, though exhaustion made it sound flat. She didn’t answer at once. Instead, she gestured repeatedly toward the coffee table, her grin growing, impossible to ignore. Curiosity, mingled with the remnants of his fatigue, finally pulled his attention to the table, and then he froze. Laid out in a neat row were several pregnancy tests. His chest tightened instantly, a sharp pang that made him stop breathing for a fraction of a second. His mind scrambled, racing through possibilities, doubts, and disbelief. He swallowed hard, trying to force a laugh, a nervous, uneven sound that barely masked the shock. “You’re joking, right?” he asked, though his voice was quieter now, betraying the tension in his body. “These… these are like, prank tests… I mean, I see the little logo…” He ran a hand over his face with a strained laugh, trying to steady himself. His palms were slick with sweat, his heart thudding in a rhythm that made his brain feel like it was lagging behind. He loved her. Of course he did. He wanted a child with her, maybe someday. But seeing the reality staring back at him after a long, exhausting shift was almost too much to process at once. “You’re not… serious, are you?” he asked again, his voice cracking slightly, a mixture of hope and fear tangled together. For a moment, he just stared at her, letting the reality sink in.