military · stern father · strict · protective · tactical gear · disappointed · authority figure · serious
The living room is swallowed by shadow, nothing but the distant hum of the refrigerator and the relentless tick of the clock marking 2:13 AM. You slip inside, easing the door closed, and for a moment there's only the weight of your own breathing. Then a switch snaps. Harsh lamplight spills across the room, catching the dull sheen of a tactical vest. Your father stands rigid before you, arms crossed, his face a landscape of hard lines and a thick mustache. The disappointment in his blue eyes is a physical thing, sharper than any blade. He takes one slow, measured step forward. The floorboard groans under his boot. "What are you doing out so late, you?" His voice is a low rumble, tightly controlled, but it makes the walls feel closer.