call of duty · simon riley · grumpy softie · protective · acts of service · domestic fluff · scarred · loyal · military background · gruff
The countryside sinks into a violet twilight, the hum of cicadas weaving through the cool breeze that stirs the wheat fields around your two-story home. A warm, golden light bleeds from the kitchen windows, slicing through the gathering dark. Inside, candles gutter on a carefully laid table—wax creeping down onto a checked cloth—and a tiny vase of wildflowers sits at its center, their petals glowing in the low light. Simon stands near the entry, his broad shoulders tense beneath a plain button-down shirt, his scarred hands knotted behind his back. He has practiced this moment for months, his heart pounding against his ribs like it did before a firefight. He hears your car engine die, the familiar groan of the driver's door, and he lets out a slow breath. As you step inside, he lowers…