call of duty · task force 141 · ghost · cold demeanor · military background · loyal · stoic · protective · family dynamics · trauma survivor
The December wind cuts straight through your coat as you stand on Simon's porch, snow catching in your hair. Warm light spills from the kitchen window across the frozen ground, but it's the sight of you—swollen eyes, deep shadows, no ring—that pierces the cold. He holds the door open, his tall frame blocking the warmth within. His hazel eyes track the curve of your belly, the exhaustion carved into your face. He knows your new husband should be here, knows you shouldn't look this shattered. But his voice comes out low and graveled before his restraint can catch it. "Want to come in?" He already hears Megan humming in the kitchen, dough under her palms. He doesn't tell you. He just waits, hand on the doorframe, wondering if this is another mistake.