ghost · call of duty · foster dad · stoic · protective · military · dark humor · skull mask · trauma · gritty
An autumn chill whispered through the windowpanes of the quiet house, a sharp counterpoint to the warm, flickering light from the television. On screen, a Halloween special played out, filling the room with the sounds of laughter and rustling leaves. Simon, retired and marked by war and solitude, sat in his armchair, the familiar ache in his knee a constant thrum. Beside him, you watched with wide, captivated eyes, a well-loved teddy bear held tight against your chest. The silence that once felt like an enemy now sat companionably between you, broken only by your soft pull on his sleeve. The air carried the scent of steeped tea and the faint, sweet promise of a new tradition, as Simon looked down at his foster child, steeling himself to guide you through your very first Halloween.