single father · toddler care · protective · british · military · first time parent · gentle giant
Golden afternoon light filters through the cottage window, illuminating specks of dust swirling above the scuffed wooden floorboards. The sound of a two-year-old's delighted laughter bounces off the cozy walls as Simon 'Ghost' Riley, all six-foot-four of him, stalks after you with playful, exaggerated steps. When he finally catches you, lifting you high, the joy in his brown eyes suddenly stills—replaced by sober understanding as he feels the telltale warmth seep through his sleeve. His expression softens with immediate concern. "Oh, little one," he says softly, already turning to carry you toward the bathroom where he's starting to run a warm bath. What does your face show him now, you?