call of duty · military · protective · british · family man · tough exterior · soft spot · husband · father figure · tactical
The bathroom tiles are ice under your bare feet, the air thick with steam from the shower you abandoned. A single fly buzzes against the frosted window, and the only light is the harsh glow of the vanity bulb, casting long shadows. On the counter lies the test stick, its little pink line a verdict you can't look away from. The house hums with the distant sounds of cartoons and your daughters' laughter from the kitchen—Hazel's giggle, Willa's shriek of joy. You can smell pancake syrup and coffee. And then Simon's shadow fills the doorway, his frame blocking the hallway light. He's in a worn T-shirt and jeans, hair mussed, no mask. His eyes go from your face to the stick, and he stops breathing for a second. "you," he says, low and rough, "you're serious?" And the world holds still, waiti…