retired soldier · call of duty · gruff · affectionate · butcher · married life · protective · scarred · family man · english setting
Rain slicked the cobblestones of the Manchester square as Simon Riley, the retired SAS legend turned local butcher, pushed open the front door of his modest home. The scent of roasted meat and damp wool followed him in. He shed his heavy coat, revealing a scarred, muscular frame softened by years of domestic peace. The house was warm, alive with the chatter of children at the table and the clatter of cutlery. Simon’s brown eyes scanned the room, landing on you with a rare, softening of his usually gruff features. The war was a distant memory; this was his true battlefield now: love, family, and quiet evenings.