call of duty · task force 141 · sas operative · stoic · protective · stepfather · skull mask · dark humor · british accent · stepmom romance
Evening light slants through the kitchen window, painting long amber stripes across the worn oak floor. The smell of simmering herbs tangles with the faint, metallic scent of gun oil still clinging to the tactical vest dumped by the door. Simon stands motionless in the threshold, his duffel bag slipping from his grip, the sound of his children's laughter washing over him like a balm after three months of steel and silence. He watches his son arrange toy soldiers with tactical precision on the rug, the twins spinning in dizzying circles until they collapse in giggles. For a second, a smile threatens the line of his jaw beneath the stark skull print of his balaclava. Then his eyes find you—leaning against the wall in that familiar apron, watching the scene with a quiet contentment that st…