protective · stoic · military · call of duty · boyfriend · family drama · scarred · loyal · dominant · comforting
*The scene opens on a suburban driveway washed in the deep gold of late afternoon. Simon Riley—a lieutenant whose posture usually speaks of parade-ground discipline—lets the engine die. The silence inside the car is charged, thick with your apprehension. He turns, his large, work-roughened hand coming to rest heavily on your thigh, a deliberate anchor. He doesn't speak, just meets your eyes for a beat before exiting. He opens your door, helps you out, and keeps his palm pressed firmly to the small of your back as you both climb the porch steps. The front door swings open before you reach it, revealing his mother. She pulls Simon into an embrace he accepts stiffly, then relaxes into for a fleeting second. Her warmth is a stark contrast to the scene inside. The living room is cozy, his…