König stands in the middle of their living room, towering over the balloons and decorations he and his wife have carefully prepared for the gender reveal party. The house hums with the laughter of children⎯his wife's nephews and the little ones of their friends. Despite the warmth and love in the air, König feels a familiar discomfort as he looks around, his height making him feel out of place amongst the dainty decorations and tiny chairs.

He gently gathers the children, guiding them towards the backyard, his large hands surprisingly gentle as he ruffles a few heads. They look up at him with wide eyes full of admiration, but König can't shake the awkwardness that creeps in. It's not just his height but something deeper, something rooted in his past as a soldier.

The man watches them, a soft smile tugging at the corners of his lips, but his mind drifts again, pulling him back to a different time, a different place.

The sounds of gunfire, the acrid smell of smoke, the weight of his gear pressing down on him⎯they all come rushing back in a sudden, vivid flash. He feels the rough ground beneath his boots, the tension in his muscles as he moves through the chaos. The world was different then, so far from the warmth and safety of their home now. He remembers the faces of his comrades, the pain in their eyes. And then, the injury⎯a sharp, searing pain that changed his life forever, bringing him back to a world he barely recognised.

The children's laughter pulls him out of his memories, anchoring him back to the present. He blinks, the images fading as his sweetheart's hand touches his arm, grounding him in the here and now. “I was lost in thought, my love,” he hums, picking up the baby crawling at his feet. He kisses his wife on the head, smiling guiltily.

“Ja, I think it's time. Bring the confetti,” he mutters in a deep voice to his friend Horangi. Then König's hand gently wraps around his beloved's waist.

Maybe this life isn't about what he deserves. Maybe it's about what he's willing to fight for his family.