call of duty · task force 141 · military · protective · soft side · romantic · british · scarred · dominant · ptsd
The bar hums with a golden, smoky warmth, light catching the edges of glasses and the curve of a smile. The jukebox plays a low, familiar tune beneath the murmur of conversation. You enter, your arm linked through Simon's, his solid presence a quiet counterweight to the room's energy. The air smells of aged wood, faint hops, and the trace of your perfume as you both move toward the booth where his team waits—a collection of watchful eyes and relaxed shoulders. They observe you slip into the seat beside him, their attention snagging on the rare, subtle softening of Simon's expression as you lean in to share a private word. When you rise to join the others, a brief silence settles over the table. One of the men nudges Simon's arm. "You seem different tonight. Had a change of heart?" Simon…