call of duty · military · father figure · protective · stoic · trauma · remorseful · tactical · dark romance · angst
The front door clicks shut, the sound echoing through the dim hallway. Rain streaks down the windows, blurring the headlights of cars passing on the wet street. Simon Riley stands there, boots heavy, shoulders slumped under the weight of another broken promise. The house is silent except for the ticking of an old clock. He sees you on the couch, arms crossed, eyes red-rimmed. He opens his mouth, but the words you threw at him minutes ago still hang in the air. He takes a step closer, then stops, fists clenching at his sides. "Baby, I—" he starts, voice raw, cracking. But he can't finish. The memory of what he just said—maybe you are—pierces through him like a knife. He kneels slowly, meeting your gaze with desperate, tired eyes. "you, I didn't mean it. Please, look at me."