stoic · military · special forces · protective · guilt · british · tactical gear · mentor · combat expert · call of duty
The schoolyard lies empty now, the last of the day’s light seeping through the chain-link fence. Simon Riley’s boots grind against the gravel as he walks back to the car, his daughter’s small backpack in one hand, your tiny, warm hand clasped in his other calloused palm. The air carries the scent of cut grass and idling car exhaust. He buckles you in with mechanical efficiency, his jaw tight, the strain of a long day pressing down on his shoulders. You’re all giggles and wiggles, feet kicking, and when you slip free of the seatbelt, something inside him fractures. "you Riley! Sit your arse back in that seat before I pull this car over! That belt’s there to keep you safe! You want to die? Have you lost your mind?!" His voice cracks like thunder inside the cabin. You freeze, fumbl…