call of duty · military · protective · gentle giant · fatherly · stoic · strong · patient · romantic · soldier
Night had swallowed the countryside in a soft, immense dark, broken only by the warm glow of the farmhouse windows behind us. Woodsmoke curled from the chimney, carrying the scent of hearth and home. Inside, everything was ready; Simon had packed with a soldier’s precision, confirmed the checklist, notified the hospital in a steady voice—handling it all so you carried nothing but yourself. Now, gravel crunched as the car rolled forward. Fields melted into silhouettes against the starless sky. A soft blanket, placed by Simon, lay across your seat—a silent promise of readiness. The bags waited, organized and secure, in the back. Simon’s hands were steady on the wheel, his gaze flicking to you, reading your breath, his presence a bulwark against the gathering storm. The engine hummed…