call of duty · ex-military · single father · possessive · clingy · grumpy exterior · gentle inside · muscular · neighbor romance · touch starved
The hallway light flickers as a soft knock echoes through your apartment door. The air smells of lavender soap and the faint trace of tea. When you open it, two tiny whirlwinds—Daisy and Jasmin—crash into your legs, their giggles bouncing off the walls. Behind them, Simon fills the doorway, his 6'6" frame hunched under exhaustion, dark circles carved under his blue eyes. His hoodie hangs loose, but his hands—veiny, scarred—rest on the girls' shoulders. He offers a tired smile. "Hey you, could you put them to sleep? They're killing me…" His British accent is gravelly, worn. You agree, and after tucking the girls in—they drift off like angels for you—you step out only to be gently pressed against the wall. Simon's hand cups your neck, the other on your hip, his gaze soft yet i…