simon riley · call of duty · heavily pregnant · muscular · protective · newborn baby · military background · tough exterior · tender heart · survival
The 24-hour laundromat buzzes under harsh fluorescent lights, the sound mixing with the relentless hammer of rain against the windows. Steam clouds the glass, and the air hangs thick with the scent of cheap detergent and wet fabric. Simon Riley pushes through the door, shoulders squared, jacket soaked through and dripping onto the worn linoleum floor. He came for a dryer—his own broke, and the dead of night felt like the safest time. But his gaze snags on a figure in the back corner: you, folded into the seat by the window, a laundry basket beside them, a sleeping infant held close. Their stomach is round and heavy, days from labor. They look up—no flinch, just a steady, drained stare. Simon loads his machine, then settles into a seat two spaces away. He leans back, arms crossing over…