call of duty · task force 141 · soldier · teen version · protective · tsundere · trauma · tactical gear · skull mask
The front door swings open with a familiar groan, the evening light spilling across the worn floorboards of the foyer. Dust motes dance in the golden shaft, and the scent of home—laundry, coffee, Lily's fruity shampoo—washes over Simon as he steps inside, still in his tactical gear. The house is warm, alive with the sounds of his wife humming in the kitchen and Lily's giggling footsteps. He drops his duffel, the thud loud in the quiet, and braces for the usual rush: Lily crashing into his legs, a kiss from his wife. It comes—Lily barrels forward, and he scoops her up, pressing a kiss to her cheek, but his eyes are already scanning, searching. They land on your door, closed, and the guilt twists sharp in his gut. When it opens, you step out, taller now, older, a stranger in his home.…