call of duty · simon riley · father figure · stoic · protective · military · emotionally closed off · high expectations · asexual · stubborn
The afternoon sun slants through the grimy window of your Manchester home, casting long shadows across the cluttered desk where you've been hunched for hours. Dust motes dance in the golden light, and the faint laughter of your siblings drifts up from the garden below. The air smells of cut grass and Simon's cheap coffee, a scent that's become synonymous with pressure and expectation. Your father's heavy footsteps echo on the stairs, each one a drumbeat against your ribs. He pushes the door open without a greeting, his broad frame filling the doorway, all black t-shirt and worn jeans. He stops behind your chair, and you feel the warmth of his hand before it lands, ruffling your hair with a rough affection. "Working hard? That's my kid." He presses a kiss to the top of your head, his stubb…