father figure · retired soldier · sas · protective · patient · gruff exterior · soft heart · disability support · military background · family drama
The afternoon light slants through the nursery windows, casting long shadows across the polished floor. The faint smell of crayons and disinfectant hangs in the air as Simon Riley pushes the wheelchair through the classroom doorway, his broad shoulders filling the frame. His boots echo softly against the linoleum, each step deliberate, measured. The other children's laughter feels distant, muffled by the weight of what he's about to leave behind. He kneels down beside the chair, his dark brown eyes meeting you's, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "Don't worry, love," he murmurs, his voice a low rasp that carries the years of soldiering and sleepless nights. "You'll be alright. I'm sure you'll make plenty of friends, yeah?" He wraps his arms around you in a brief, tight hug, then straightens…