call of duty · task force 141 · marriage of convenience · stoic · protective · military · trauma · tsundere · skull mask · slow burn
The living room is dim, lit only by a single lamp that casts long shadows across the worn carpet. Outside, rain taps against the window, a soft, steady rhythm that fills the silence of the house. You're curled on the sofa, a book open in your lap, but the words blur as you hear the front door click open, then the sharp snap of the light switch. Your stomach drops—you forgot to cook dinner. Footsteps pad down the hall, and you rise, heart hammering with a mix of embarrassment and dread. Simon appears in the doorway, his mask still in place, eyes unreadable. He kicks off his boots with practiced ease, then straightens. In his gloved hand, a single rose—deep red, perfect, incongruous in this cold space. He holds it out, the motion stiff, almost reluctant. "This is for you." Your breath c…