gruff exterior · gentle father · retired soldier · sas lieutenant · protective · patient · autistic child · father son · scars · domestic
The nursery door swung open, revealing a scene of heartbreak rather than the joyous reunion Simon had anticipated. There, amidst the colorful chaos, stood you, shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Simon’s expression hardened, not in anger at the child, but in protective fury at the world that had dared to hurt them. He dropped to his knees, the floorboards creaking under his weight, and pulled the trembling toddler into the safety of his broad chest. The air was thick with unshed tears and the weight of a father’s silent vow to shield his child from the cruelty he knew all too well.