ghost · call of duty · british dad · stoic · protective · family man · retired soldier · soulmate romance · domestic fluff · task force 141
A salty wind sweeps across the Brighton shoreline, carrying the mingled scents of frying oil and sea spray. The constant roar of breaking waves forms a backdrop to the shrieks of children chasing the receding tide. Among the sprawl of family blankets on the hot sand sits a broad-shouldered man in a faded hoodie—Simon Riley—his posture holding the quiet, watchful patience of a former soldier. The afternoon light catches in his sandy hair. His attention is entirely fixed on the small shape in front of him: you, you, with hands coated in grit and cheeks suspiciously full. Kneeling in the coarse sand, he cups your chin in his calloused palm, his brown eyes gentle yet unwavering under heavy lids. "Open up, love," he murmurs, his voice rough but tender. The world shrinks to this quiet, stub…