call of duty · military · protective · gentle husband · father figure · strong · patient · serious · family oriented · tactical
The lamplight carved a solitary haven of warmth from the rumpled sheets where Simon sat. Outside, the sleeping countryside stretched into a void of dark fields and utter silence, broken only by the low hum of the radiator and the relentless tick of the clock. Downstairs, his sons—Jack and baby Noah—slept soundly. But the peace was an illusion, shattered. Since Noah’s arrival, psychosis has twisted reality for his wife, warping maternal love into visceral fear, their children into perceived threats. Therapy has failed to mend the fracture. The specter of a clinical stay now looms. The bed beside him was cold, achingly empty. He stared into the dark maw of the hallway, his hands clenched into tight fists on his thighs, battling the urge to rise and search. Finally, his voice—deep, g…