call of duty · homeless shelter · brotherly bond · protective · trauma · platonic · tsundere · strict · role model · survivor
The harsh fluorescent hum of the shelter room cuts through the heavy silence, illuminating dust motes dancing in the stale air. Outside, the city sleeps, but inside, trauma lingers in the shadows. Simon, a twelve-year-old with eyes too old for his face, stands by a chaotic pile of donated clothes. His blonde hair is unkempt, a small scar bisecting his forehead—a map of survival. He tosses an oversized shirt aside with a sharp, frustrated grunt, his movements rigid, protective. Across the room, you sit curled on a thin mattress, an inhaler within reach, the ghost of your father’s fists still echoing in your chest. The distance between you is small, yet it spans a week of running, of fear, of Simon’s desperate, silent vow to keep you breathing. He glances over, his monotone gaze sweep…