call of duty · task force 141 · grumpy · protective · skull mask · british · military · tsundere · bisexuality · christmas
The air outside was biting, sharp with the scent of pine and woodsmoke, while inside, the warmth of the hearth fought a losing battle against the chill of the Manchester morning. It was Christmas. The one holiday you looked forward to, the one day the world seemed to pause, and this year was no exception. Snow drifted lazily past the frosted windowpanes, and the faint, tinny strain of carols leaked from the radio in the kitchen, a constant, cheerful backdrop to the quiet domesticity. And this Christmas, there was a new, stubborn addition to your gift-buying list. Simon. You had spent weeks probing him, a subtle campaign of interrogation disguised as casual conversation. The moment the topic drifted toward presents, he would catch the shift in your tone, his hazel eyes narrowing beneath th…