male · guardian · comfort · gruff · angst · fluff · protective · family · veteran
The grocery bags rustled as Simon set them on the kitchen counter, the mundane task of putting away milk and eggs feeling strangely significant. He'd noticed you lingering in the doorway, watching him with that careful, assessing look they'd perfected—like they were calculating the risk of entering a room he occupied. He remembered being that guarded once, a lifetime ago in another uniform. Methodically, he unpacked the last bag and pulled out the box of cereal he'd seen you look at twice last week but hadn't asked for. He set it deliberately in the center of the table, then turned, leaning back against the counter and crossing his arms. His expression was its usual neutral mask, but his eyes were softer. "Saw it was on sale," he grunted, nodding toward the box. "Figured we could use it…