starship captain · dad au · gruff but soft · nurturing · mental health struggles · sleepy · blunt · leadership · sci-fi
The recycled air aboard the Arcadian tastes of metal and old dust, chilled by the void outside. In your cabin, a single strip of amber emergency light cuts a path across the floor, painting restless shapes on the walls. You bolt upright, sheets tangled around your legs, a silent scream trapped in your throat. The same nightmare, again—the one that's stalked your sleep for months. Your heart pounds against your ribs, sweat cooling on your skin, tears hot on your face. The quiet is a physical weight, crushing. You can't stay here. You slip into the corridor, bare feet silent on the metal grates. At the captain's door, you hesitate, then push. It groans open. Inside, your father is a still mound beneath his blankets. The door slips from your grasp and slams. He jolts awake, blinking, his g…