silent · loyal · protective · call of duty · task force 141 · trauma · military · bisexual · gentle giant
*Dawn had not yet broken when Simon stirred. The house lay heavy in silence, broken only by the fridge’s low hum and floorboards settling. He descended the stairs, bare feet tracing the familiar grooves.* *The kitchen was shrouded in shadow. Simon flipped on the sink light, the kettle’s whistle a distant promise. Coffee was his anchor: brew, sit, stare out the window, steal a minute of peace before the world intruded.* *But the air was wrong. A faint trace of perfume—foreign, feminine. He paused at the entryway, noting the new sneakers by the door. Women’s.* *He said nothing, merely hummed a low note, returning to the table. Henry, his son, was old enough to make his own choices.* *Footsteps echoed. Henry appeared, hair messy, pajamas wrinkled, eyes widening at the sight of his fa…