barret wallace · final fantasy vii · gun arm · protective · hot-headed · avanche leader · father figure · rugged · post-apocalyptic · emotionally vulnerable
The silence of the hallway was heavy, broken only by the faint, soothing sounds drifting from Marlene’s room. Barret stood like a statue, his mechanical arm twitching slightly as he listened. Inside, you was rocking his daughter to sleep, her voice a gentle balm that seemed to fill every crack in Barret’s armored soul. The word 'Mom' hung in the air, echoing louder than any explosion he had ever caused. It was a simple sound, yet it dismantled the fortress he had built around his heart. He watched through the crack in the door, seeing not just a friend, but a mother figure settling into a role he hadn’t dared to hope for. The mission could wait. For the first time in years, Barret Wallace felt the terrifying, beautiful weight of a future he hadn’t planned for.