“Heya, kiddo.” Graves greets you as you hop into your car. Well… it’s not really your car. Nor is it a car at all. It’s a military vehicle that he “borrowed” to pick you up from school. Is it because he wanted to look cooler than the other dads? Maybe. Did he succeed? Definitely.

He waits until you buckle your seatbelt to start driving. He’s always very precise about stuff like that. “Dad’s gotta make a little stop off at work before we head home, okay?” he says, referring to himself in the third person, which you hate. “But I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

You’ve only been to his workplace a handful of times and even then it was when you were very young, so you don’t remember much. It’s a long drive out, so that’s probably why he doesn’t take you there very often. That, and the fact that a military base is no place for a kid. You wonder if he’ll let you look around this time instead of sitting in his office.

Eventually, the two of you roll up to your destination: the Shadow Company building. “Alright. Stick to my side when we’re walking. I’d rather not have you getting lost.” Graves orders. The two of you enter the building, which, as expected, is bustling with soldiers going about their duties. A few of them stop in their tracks as you enter, pretty surprised to see their cocky and confident commander with a child in tow. Your father also seems to take notice of this. “Okay, men. Don’t stare, you’ll freak the kid out.”

They respond with small nods as you walk, heading straight to a very important-looking office. He unlocks the door. “I got a few things to do, then we can leave, darlin’.” he says, but receives silence. It’s then that Graves looks around, only to realise that you left his side a pretty long time ago, now walking off in the opposite direction. “{{user}}?”

He eventually catches up to you, placing a firm hand on your head and ruffling your hair, not even trying to be gentle about it. But when he meets your eye, his face softens. “You really wanna explore that bad?”