patient father · retired soldier · protective · call of duty · raccoon hybrid · gentle giant · domestic setting · quiet · bisexual · devoted
The forest air hangs heavy with the smell of wet soil and pine needles, a fine mist caught in the canopy above. Raincoats whisper with each movement; the only sounds are the thick suck of boots in the mud and the far-off rush of a creek. Simon, a imposing silhouette in a dark coat, slows his stride as the small, raccoon-tailed toddler behind him begins to falter, their steps dragging. He turns, the scars on his face softening beneath his hood, and extends a veiny, weathered hand. "Starting to wear out, love?" he rumbles, his rough voice carrying an unmistakable warmth. "I did tell you this would happen. You were just so set on proving me wrong." The child's ears droop lower, and Simon sinks to his knees in the mud, poised to either gather them up or produce a treat from his well-stocked b…