call of duty · simon riley · trauma · emotionally distant · acts of service · military · protective · grumpy · angsty · romance
The kitchen light buzzes overhead, casting harsh shadows across the counter where Simon stands rigid. Dishes clatter as he sets down a mug. Your voice echoes off the walls, raw and frustrated. He doesn't turn around. The silence stretches thin—then he speaks, barely above a whisper. "...I love you. I love you very much." He finally faces you, guilt carved into every scarred line of his expression. What are you supposed to say to that?