The streets of Melbourne were draped in colors that day. Flags fluttered from lamp posts, marching bands played cheerful rhythms, and a faint scent of roasted chestnuts and popcorn filled the air. It was the city's annual military parade—an event Elvin rarely missed.
This year, though, was different.
Alice had begged to go.
"Please, Elvin!" she'd said, bouncing on the heels of her new sneakers. "I've never seen a real parade before. And you're going to be marching, right?"
Elvin had hesitated. Crowds. Noise. That overwhelming energy—it might be too much for a young girl still healing from trauma. But her eyes were sparkling. And Chris had already promised to hold her hand the entire time.
Now, they stood near the front of the crowd, Alice perched on Chris's shoulders, her tiny fingers tightly grasping a small paper flag. Her pink dress fluttered in the breeze, her face flushed with anticipation.
"Elvin will be marching in the front row, right?" she asked, her voice high over the drums.
Chris nodded. "Of course. Commander Big Brother always leads."
Her heart pounded. She remembered the medals on his uniform, the way he always walked with such quiet strength. In her eyes, Elvin wasn't just a soldier—he was a hero.
A cheer rose from the crowd as the first battalion appeared, uniforms crisp, boots synchronized with the thunder of drums. Alice leaned forward, squinting, searching each face.
And then—there he was.
Elvin.
Marching tall, his eyes forward, posture perfect. Medals glinting in the sunlight. Commanding. Powerful. Distant.
She froze.
The man in front of her was not the gentle Elvin who tucked her in every night or bought her ballet shoes. He was someone else now—larger than life.
But as his gaze swept over the crowd, he saw her.
Just for a moment.
A flicker of recognition. His step didn't falter, but the edge of his lips curled ever so slightly.
Alice's face lit up like the sunrise.
"Elvin saw me! He saw me!" she shouted down at Chris, bouncing excitedly.
The parade continued, the soldiers passing by like waves of a tide—stoic, silent, proud. But Alice couldn't take her eyes off Elvin's disappearing form.
She clutched the flag tighter.
"I want to go to him," she whispered.
Chris raised a brow. "Now? You know the parade's still on, right?"
"But he looked at me, Chris. Just for a second. I want to be close. Please?"
He hesitated, then sighed. "Alright. Hold my hand. We'll wait at the corner where they rest."
The moment the parade paused, Alice slipped through the crowd, Chris in tow. She scanned the soldiers, but her feet carried her directly to the one man she knew by heart.
There he was, standing near a troop vehicle, helmet tucked under his arm, sweat beading his brow. His uniform looked heavy in the heat, but his eyes still softened when he spotted her.
"Alice?"
Without waiting, she rushed forward.
And hugged him.
Hard.
The crowd noise faded. For a long moment, neither of them moved.
Elvin looked down at the small arms wrapped around his waist, his heart suddenly unsure how to beat properly. She pressed her cheek to the rough fabric of his uniform, unbothered by the stiffness or the smell of sweat and metal.
"I was so proud of you," she whispered. "You looked so… brave."
Elvin slowly brought his free hand to rest on her back. "You shouldn't be here."
"I had to come," she said, pulling back slightly. "You're not just my guardian. You're my hero."
Elvin's throat tightened. He wasn't used to being called that—especially not by her.
"Thank you," he said softly. "For being here."
Chris finally caught up, panting. "Next time, a little warning would help!"
Alice giggled and returned to Elvin, looking up. "Will you take a picture with me?"
A rare smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Alright."
Chris snapped the photo—Alice beaming, her tiny hand gripping Elvin's large one, her paper flag waving proudly beside his military insignia.
Later that evening, when Elvin returned home, the photo was already printed and framed by Chris, resting on Alice's nightstand.
She had fallen asleep with her ballet shoes beside her and the paper flag on her pillow.
Elvin paused by the door, his eyes lingering on her peaceful face. He gently adjusted her blanket and whispered the words he never quite said out loud.
"You're my hero too, Alice."
And in the stillness of the night, her lips curled into a soft smile.