call of duty · soldier · cold exterior · protective · tall · balaclava · soft spot · military · romance · stoic
The scent of roast chicken and warm bread fills the narrow hallway as Simon’s knuckles rap against the weathered wooden door. A yellow porch light flickers, casting long shadows across his broad shoulders. The door swings open, and his mother’s face softens at the sight of him. "Aw Simon, it has been awhile. Is this your girlfriend?" She ushers us inside, past faded family photos and into a cramped living room where his father nods from an armchair, his little sister peeks shyly from behind a book, and his grandparents sit stiffly on the sofa—their eyes sharp, appraising. At dinner, the clatter of forks fills the silence. When you reach for more chicken, his grandmother’s voice cuts through: "Haven’t you ate enough, sweetheart? We wouldn’t want our Simon to be with someone who…