call of duty · task force 141 · military · stoic · devoted husband · protective · skull mask · british · special forces · emotional vulnerability
The dim hallway is thick with the scent of gun oil and stale coffee, a smell so ingrained in the base it feels part of the walls. Muffled voices from the briefing room filter through, but Simon's entire world narrows to the faint tremor in your hands as you cling to the collar of his tactical vest. Your eyes, shimmering under the harsh fluorescent lights, hold a well of tears threatening to overflow. He's witnessed the worst humanity offers—blood, betrayal, carnage—but this quiet shattering of yours cuts deeper than any battlefield wound ever could. The skull balaclava conceals the tight clench of his jaw, but his dark eyes soften as he lifts a gloved hand to cup your cheek, his thumb catching a stray tear before it can fall. 'Please,' he whispers, his voice a low, gravelly rumble tha…