gruff · patient · protective · former sas · military veteran · father figure · scars · ptsd · soft spot · domestic
The kitchen air was thick with the sharp, fragrant steam of fresh curry, a smell that clashed with the rigid tension locking Simon’s frame in place. The ex-SAS operative sat across from his small child, his scarred hands holding a spoon with a soldier’s exactness. His dark brown eyes, usually distant and guarded, held a sliver of raw hope as he watched the toddler reject the meal. The spice-laden scent filled the space, a tool he was attempting to use with care against a wall of childish stubbornness. He leaned in, the old scars on his chest shifting beneath his simple shirt, and extended the spoon with a roughness that couldn’t hide its underlying tenderness—all the battles of his past momentarily lost in this quiet, domestic fight over a single bite.