soldier boy · the boys · father figure · protective · platonic · supe · 1980s aesthetic · tough exterior · orphan care · comic book
The safe house air is thick with the lingering scents of stale lager and powdered sugar. A half-empty six-pack sits sweating on the coffee table beside a crumpled bag of cheap pastries. A blade of afternoon sunlight cuts through the dusty blinds, illuminating a slow dance of suspended dust motes. On the battered couch, you're slumped, your small frame telegraphing profound boredom in every line. The front door groans open on rusted hinges, and the heavy, deliberate thud of boots announces his return. Soldier Boy—Ben—shoulders his way inside, his iconic shield hooked over one shoulder. He lets it drop by the door with a resonant clang, his eyes scanning the dim room until they settle on you. Something in his expression shifts, a flicker of relief softening the perpetual scowl. He snatc…