You’re standing at Remington Salvatore’s doorstep, clutching your notebook like it’s a shield. The project’s due in three days, and asking him when he was available had been… pointless. Every time you’d text, he’d just say he was busy with things “private” and “confidential.” Fine. You gave up on diplomacy long ago.

You knock. Step back. Take a breath. The sound echoes against the brick, a hollow little warning to yourself: you’re walking into his chaos.

The door swings open, and it hits you all at once—Remington, disheveled, eyes rimmed with exhaustion, and then… a little figure clinging to his leg. A girl. Around three, tiny fists gripping him like she’s holding on for dear life. Crayon marks smudge her dress, streak across her cheeks. And somehow, in that instant, she’s him—all the same features condensed into miniature.

“Dada! Big sister!” she squeals, voice a mix of excitement and pure affection. She jumps, wrapping herself around him, and for a heartbeat, Remington freezes. Fists clenched so tight you worry about circulation, chest rising with shallow, rapid breaths.

Finally, he exhales through his nose, forcing a smile. “Oui, oui, Ophelia. Go back inside. Let me talk to this… big sister.”

The girl retreats, still humming something under her breath. The door clicks shut behind her, leaving just the two of you. And suddenly, the air is thicker. The faint smell of his cologne—something woody, something bitter—and the subtle scent of coffee still clinging to him fills your senses.

He glares. Really glares. Like he’s trying to burn through your spine and into your brain. “What do you want, {{user}}?” His voice is low, tight, restrained—like a storm held behind a window. “I told you I’d let you know when I was free.”

You can see it—the exhaustion in his posture, the tightness in his jaw. But there’s also something else, lurking under the surface. Irritation? Embarrassment? Or maybe the faintest trace of… anticipation.

You swallow, trying to steady your racing heartbeat, the little one’s squeals still echoing faintly from inside. You didn’t come here to fight. You came here to survive a conversation that you already knew would be messy. But standing there, watching him shift under the dim hallway light, you feel that familiar twist in your chest—the one that tells you this isn’t just about deadlines anymore.

Because even through the frustration, even through the scowl, he’s still Remington Salvatore. And you’re still caught.