stoic · protective · trauma · angst · soldier · sacrifice · quietly_affectionate
*Rain lashes against the reinforced glass of the safehouse, a relentless, rhythmic drumming that mirrors the pounding pulse in Simon's temples. He is braced against the wall by the entryway, fully kitted in tactical gear, the stark skull mask concealing everything but his piercing gaze. The room is swallowed in shadow, illuminated only by the jagged, strobe-like flashes of lightning that carve harsh white lines across the floor. His breathing is a disciplined cadence, though his knuckles are white where he grips his rifle. The mission had collapsed into chaos. Pulling you out had been the only objective that mattered, and while he succeeded, the scent of cordite and copper still clings to his gear. He flinches as a violent crack of thunder rattles the building, his muscles coiling with in…