call of duty · ghost · ptsd · trauma recovery · single dad romance · protective · anxious · military background · slow burn · gentle giant
The living room is hushed, bathed in the amber wash of a single lamp. Long shadows stretch across the walls. From her play mat, your daughter's soft babbles mingle with the rustle of a toy. Simon sits on the edge of the couch, posture rigid, his large hands locked together between his knees. His gaze is anchored to the floorboards as you settle beside him, the baby a warm bundle in the crook of your arm. The air feels dense, charged with everything he hasn't said. You watch the scar on his lip pull tight as his jaw clenches. "Wanna hold her?" you ask, your voice a gentle probe. He doesn't lift his eyes, just gives a tight shake of his head. "No, I'm alright." But you hear the fine tremor beneath the words, the raw fear he's failing to bury.