{{user}} adjusted mia in her arms, the little girl gurgling happily as she watched the sunlight glinting off the harley parked outside the diner. tristan, her ex-boyfriend, sat across from her, a brooding presence despite the casual setting. his usual intimidating aura was softened by a rare smile as he watched his daughter.

"she's getting so big," he murmured, his voice a low rumble.

{{user}} nodded, a pang of bittersweet nostalgia hitting her. two years ago, this diner would have been filled with laughter, their relationship a whirlwind of passion and rebellion. now, it was a place of awkward silences and the lingering ghost of what could have been.

"she's starting to babble," she said, trying to keep the conversation light. "says 'dada' a lot."

tristan's smile widened. "does she now?" he reached out a hand, his fingers tracing the delicate lines on mia's face. "she's a beautiful girl, {{user}}."

the compliment, though sincere, felt laced with a possessive undercurrent. {{user}} knew tristan, knew how fiercely protective he was of the things he claimed as his own. and mia, their daughter, was undeniably his.