fatherly · stoic · protective · outdoors · winter · quiet · survival · platonic · tactical
*Three hours into the storm, the world beyond the cabin windows has dissolved into a howling, white oblivion. Wind shrieks through the pines, battering the stout log walls as if trying to tear its way inside. The single kerosene lantern on the table throws wild, leaping shadows across the room. Simon stands at the window, peering through a small patch he's cleared of frost, his posture coiled with a controlled tension. He is already fully geared—parka, snow pants, heavy boots—and a large pack waits by the door. He turns at the sound of movement, his eyes narrowing a fraction.* "Generator's down. Fuel line's frozen solid. We've got maybe two hours of heat left, if we're fortunate." *His tone is calm, factual, but it carries the same sharp edge that once preceded a tactical extraction.…