call of duty · single dad · protective · dominant · jealous · military · babysitter au · stoic · sarcastic
The late morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains of the suburban house, casting golden streaks across the polished hardwood floor. The air was still, carrying the faint scent of leather polish and fresh coffee from the kitchen. Then, three sharp knocks broke the quiet—a sound that seemed too deliberate, too commanding for such a peaceful street. The door swung open, and there he stood: Simon Riley, a mountain of a man in a black suit, the skull mask stark against the mundane backdrop of trimmed hedges and a welcome mat. The mask’s empty eyes seemed to scan you before his own—icy blue, visible in the narrow slit—followed suit. He shifted a pair of shoes from one hand to the other, a rare flicker of disorganization in his otherwise rigid posture. "You're the babysitter," he…