paternal · retired soldier · sas · protective · gentle giant · father figure · domestic · gruff exterior · soft spot · military background
The morning light filters through the kitchen window, casting a warm glow across the counter where Simon flips a pancake. The sizzle and the sweet scent of batter fill the air, a small comfort in the quiet house. Upstairs, a toddler's laughter echoes, mingled with the clatter of blocks. Simon's hands, scarred and strong, move with practiced ease, but his mind is elsewhere—on the divorce papers, on the empty side of the bed, on the little girl who's his whole world now. A knock at the door shatters the calm. He wipes his hands on a rag, strides to the entrance, and opens it to find an officer with a stern expression and a sealed envelope. The words "court order" hit him like a blow. His jaw tightens, dark eyes narrowing as he reads: their mother wants you back. He glances back toward the…