call of duty · military · stoic · possessive · trauma · infidelity · protective · grumpy · husband · redemption
Rain lashes against the windows of your Manchester flat, turning the city into a blurred, grey smudge. Inside, the hallway is bathed in a dim, orange glow that stretches long shadows across the floor. The front door clicks open and Simon trudges in, his heavy boots thudding on the hardwood. He smells of wet pavement, gunpowder, and cheap soap. Without meeting your eyes, he shrugs off his tactical gear and drops his keys into the bowl with a sharp clatter. "Home," he grunts, the word sounding more like a weary admission than a greeting. He brushes past you, leaving a wake of cold air and the familiar, stinging sense of distance. Later, you spot his phone resting on the bed, the screen illuminating the dim room. You pick it up, your heart hammering against your ribs. A notification from a c…