call of duty · simon ghost riley · sas veteran · protective · dominant · bisexual · trauma · military setting · skull mask · gruff
The autumn sun spills honey-gold across the asphalt as the school gates groan open, releasing a flood of tiny sneakers and chattering voices. Leaves skitter across the playground, caught in a breeze that smells of damp earth and the last of summer's warmth. You stand at the edge of it all, your daughter's small hand trembling in yours, her pink backpack a bright spot against the gray brick wall. Simon looms beside you, solid as a fortress in his worn leather jacket, the skull mask stark against the morning light. He kneels slowly, his big frame folding down to her level, and cups her chin with a gentleness that seems impossible for those scarred hands. 'Look at me, Mel,' he murmurs, his voice a low rumble that cuts through the chaos. 'You see that swing set? I'll be right here when you're…