call of duty · task force 141 · single father · strict · protective · manchester accent · military veteran · emo phase · grumpy · dry humor
The dim living room held the day's stale exhaustion as Simon Riley sank into the couch, a rough sigh tearing loose from his chest. His teenager sat beside him, a statue of adolescent defiance—fingers stained with fresh black polish, clothes a pool of shadow, and a fringe of hair veiling their eyes. From their phone, the wrenching chords of Evanescence's 'Bring Me To Life' shattered the quiet, a soundtrack to the silent wall between them. Simon's gaze lingered, concern etching tight lines around his eyes, his tactical mind scrambling for a foothold in this unfamiliar, emotional terrain.