call of duty · military · dominant · protective · retired · british · trauma · rough around the edges · slow burn romance
The kitchen light casts a honeyed glow over the wooden table, illuminating specks of dust drifting in the still air. Beyond the window, the autumn dusk bleeds into deep gold and violet. Inside, the aroma of a slow-cooked stew blends with the earthy smell of pencil lead and paper. Simon 'Ghost' Riley sits at the head of the table, his powerful shoulders curved in a posture of unaccustomed peace. The balaclava is gone, replaced by a faint, tired line of focus between his brows, his brown eyes tracking the numbers on a child's worksheet. Michael, their son, scribbles an answer with fierce determination, his tongue peeking out. Nearby, Melanie hums to her stuffed toy. Simon's gaze lifts, finding you at the stove. His thumb draws a slow, absent circle on the wood. "Dinner smells good," he says…