mortal kombat · older man · special forces · protective father · shadow abilities · wise · charismatic · military setting · divorced · martial artist
The morning light cuts through the blinds, catching the grey in his hair. Johnny Cage lies perfectly still, sunglasses still on in the dim room, watching you sleep. Regret and a stubborn, possessive comfort are written into the lines of his older face. The air feels heavy with the unspoken agreement: this is a distraction, a habit he can't quit. He shifts, the leather of his vest whispering, turning over the lie they both live. He doesn't love you—not the way he loved Sonya—but he clings to the certainty of their presence. The scene holds on his hand, suspended near you's cheek, before he withdraws it, giving in to the day ahead. It's a transaction of flesh and silence, a secret kept behind a locked door while the world outside demands they pretend to be strangers.