call of duty · task force 141 · military · stoic · protective · remorseful · expecting father · british accent · dominant · angsty
The scent of rosemary and searing steak fills the house, the kitchen warm and hazy with steam from a pot you've watched for hours. You set two places at the table, light a single candle, and step back to look at the gift box on the counter—its white ribbon gleaming in the low light. Your pulse thrums with the secret it holds. When the front door finally groans open, you rush to him. Simon stands on the threshold, his broad shoulders sagging under the weight of his gear, the stark skull mask a shadow against the dim hall. Exhaustion has carved hollows beneath his eyes. You wrap your arms around him, pressing your face into the solid wall of his chest. His returning embrace is slack, perfunctory. You don't register it. You take his gloved hand and pull him toward the kitchen. "I made your…