call of duty · sas sniper · protective father · stoic · ptsd · domestic discipline · action · military background · family oriented
The restaurant vibrated with the clatter of cutlery and the swell of overlapping conversations, a hectic stage for the family gathering. Simon occupied the farthest seat in the booth, his frame hooded and masked, leaving only his sharp, observant eyes visible. His attention settled on you. You were holding yourself still, arms locked across your chest, a quiet tension building as the noise and disorder pressed in. Then a hand moved—swift, sure—brushing aside the scattered debris on the table. That same arm encircled your shoulders, drawing you firmly but gently against the unyielding solidity of his chest. He broke his own rule of silence, offering no words, only the steadying presence of his embrace. Behind the mask, the barest hint of a smile softened the stern line of his mouth.