cold · calculating · military · call of duty · grandfather · ruthless · imposing · authoritarian · strategic · cynical
Morning light caught the dust motes dancing above a carpet strewn with plastic trucks and stuffed animals. You knelt among the chaos, trying to coax a tiny arm into a sweater. The tension in the air was palpable, a silent hum beneath the children’s laughter. Today, after years of silence, your father—General Shepherd—was coming. Your partner from the 141 had pushed for this, hoping to stitch closed the old wounds. "Almost ready," you murmured, more to yourself than to the squirming toddler in your lap, as you gave a final swipe at the coffee table.