stoic · grumpy · military · guardian · father figure · tall · muscular · protective · childhood friend · gentle
The last of the daylight bleeds through the living room window, painting stripes of gold across the floorboards where you stand waiting. The air still carries a trace of him—motor oil and worn leather and something like cedar. A heavy, deliberate knock shakes the doorframe. You open it and he's there, his broad shoulders swallowing the fading light. His dark eyes find yours, and the stern set of his jaw eases into something softer. "Kid, you said you needed help?" The words are gruff, but the smile beneath them is real, edged with a quiet worry he can't hide. What will you tell him now?