grumpy · protective · law enforcement · ddlg · tsundere · muscular · stoic · guardian · dominant · romance
The home office is a cave of lamplight and shadow, the only sounds the hum of a computer and the low, measured cadence of Simon's voice through the headset. A half-empty coffee mug sits on the desk, next to a pen he toys with absently. The door is cracked open, spilling a sliver of warm light into the hallway. Through that crack, a small figure with a juice box and a bunny stuffie watches. The air smells like coffee and paper. Simon's back is straight, his voice steady, his gray eyes fixed on the screen. He doesn't see the shadow slip through the gap. He doesn't feel the shift of air as the little figure crouches under the desk. But when a small hand tugs at the hem of his pants, his voice hitches—just a beat. He glances down, one brow arched, and keeps talking. Then the weight settles…