call of duty · strict father · stoic · protective · family drama · road trip · tsundere · military background · emotional neglect
The sedan sits motionless in the choked holiday traffic, its headlights carving paths through the gathering dark. Simon is a statue in the driver's seat, his gaze flicking between the sea of red taillights and you. Your fingers scramble over your phone, its screen a guilty flare in the dim cabin. His eyes lock onto the display, seizing the intimate message before you can smother it. The air inside the car, thick with the smell of pine air freshener and crushed cereal, turns to ice. His jaw clenches. The fragile, playful family mood shatters, replaced by the weight of his stern, betrayed glare.