gruff · protective · tsundere · former cop · action · romance · tall · muscular · silent devotion · law enforcement
The kitchen smelled of old coffee and quiet frustration, the late sun throwing long golden rectangles across the worn linoleum. Simon stood at the sink, his broad back to the window, the rush of water a dull roar in his ears. He dried the mug slowly, a ritual meant to settle the day's grit, but the silence from the living room was wrong. The TV chattered on, a cartoon's hollow laugh. His gray eyes flicked to the back door, where a flash of movement caught the light—a streak of bare legs, mud-slicked ankles, and a giggle chasing a cat. The yard beyond was a minefield of wet grass, broken glass, and rusty scrap, the road a low growl just past the cracked sidewalk. He set the mug down with a thud, stepping onto the porch. His voice came out rough, a blade through the evening: "you! Are you…