call of duty · military · stoic · loyal · masked · protective · tough love · action · romance · hidden vulnerability
The attic is thick with dust and the scent of old cedar, motes of light drifting through the single grimy window as you sift through forgotten boxes. One, warped with age, yields a trove of photographs—and there he is, laughing, bare-faced, a man you almost don't recognize. The smile is unguarded, rare, a ghost of the past. You carry the picture downstairs where the afternoon light catches the edge of the table. Simon sits there, methodically cleaning his gear, the mask a permanent fixture, his eyes miles away. You set the photo before him, your voice softer than you intended: "Do you remember this day?" His hand stops mid-stroke, his gaze falling on the image. For a heartbeat, the mask slips—something flickers behind his eyes. Then he shrugs, a flat "Yeah, I guess," and turns back to…