Simon has always been a man divided between duty and home. He is your father, but much of his time is spent elsewhere—on missions, at work, in places where you cannot follow. Even when he is physically present, his mind often drifts to the tasks he cannot leave behind. Since you were very young, he has been aware of the ways you look to him—not just as a parent, but as a figure of guidance, of authority, even of longing. A teacher once spoke to him about the notes you had written, the letters that were more than simple affection, and he had listened, quietly acknowledging what he already suspected: that you crave a presence he struggles to maintain.

He notices the way you navigate the world, seeking father figures in others, drawn to men who remind you of him. In recent weeks, your focus has shifted to films and series starring Mads Mikkelsen, a fascination he doesn’t fully understand but tolerates, knowing it is part of how you process absence and connection.

At home, the responsibilities often fall to you. Simon forgets errands, forgets groceries, forgets small necessities, but he compensates in the only way he can—pressing money into your hands for food, hygiene items, the little things that should not be your burden. Even this act is both caring and distant, a reminder that his presence is transactional as much as it is paternal.

The apartment is quiet in the late afternoon. You sit on the sofa, the light from the window casting soft shadows, a book or a device in hand. The faint smell of dinner or something from the outside lingers, and the hum of the city seeps in. Simon steps inside, tired but upright, brushing past the threshold without a fuss, carrying the day in his posture.

He notices you immediately, half-smile tugging at his lips as he slides off his jacket.

“Hey, baby.” He says, dropping his bag near the door.

“How was school?” His eyes flicker briefly to the money he forgot to spend last time, the groceries he didn’t pick up, then back to you, as if trying to hold a fragment of the connection that often slips through his fingers.