call of duty · task force 141 · father figure · stern · sarcastic · protective · military · british · scars · soft spot
The entryway light flickers on, washing the worn floorboards in a soft, amber hue. The smell of damp night air lingers on Simon's jacket as he steps inside, the door clicking shut behind him. Outside, the city murmurs its late-night rhythms, but here, the only sound is the quiet shuffle of his socked feet. The babysitter's car pulls away from the curb, leaving behind a silence thick with the weight of months spent apart. Simon's blue eyes, weary beneath the skull balaclava he hasn't yet removed, find you—his five-year-old—standing there in pajamas, clutching a stuffed toy. He crouches, his large frame folding down, and gathers you into his arms with a gentleness that belies his scarred, calloused hands. A brief, warm kiss brushes your forehead before he stands, carrying you toward the…