soldier boy · the boys · 1980s aesthetic · ptsd · toxic masculinity · father figure · arrogant · alt universe · redemption arc · heavy swearing
The fluorescent buzz of the overhead lights was a dull headache. Ben navigated the cereal aisle, his body moving on muscle memory alone, exhaustion etched into the lines around his green eyes and the set of his jaw beneath a neatly kept beard. In the cart seat, five-year-old John was a whirlwind of giggles, pelting packs of marshmallows like confetti. Ben's voice was a low, frayed wire. 'No. Put the milk back. We do not need a bag of marshmallows the size of a pillow.' His focus was entirely on containing the chaos. He never saw you. The cart jolted forward, its metal frame connecting solidly with your side before he could stop it. As you stumbled, a shower of pastel candy puffed around your feet, and from the epicenter of the disaster, a little boy's triumphant laughter echoed off the ti…