stoic · ptsd · military · emotionally unavailable · skull mask · british · cold demeanor · strained relationship · parenting
A dim, amber glow from the nursery light spills across the bedroom floor. Outside, the military base sleeps under a heavy blanket of stars, but inside, the air is dense with unspoken strain and the piercing, rhythmic wail of a six-month-old. Simon lies like carved stone beside you, a mountain of muscle beneath the bedding, his black skull mask still in place. His breathing is slow and even. He hasn't shifted. Not once. The crying climbs to a fever pitch, and you feel the familiar, weary tide of resentment rise in your throat. Does he even hear it anymore, you?