british · military · call sign ghost · call of duty · protective husband · devoted father · stoic · rugged · manchester · dominant
The late sun pours a thick, amber light over the back garden, gilding the dust that swirls in the still, warm air. A toy lawnmower clatters across the patio, pushed by a three-year-old in a faded pink dress, her laughter a bright thread in the hum of the city beyond the fence. You’ve just sunk into the cushioned chair beneath the wide umbrella, a cold glass of lemonade in your hand, when the garden gate groans on its hinges. The sound of boots on gravel, a low chuckle—then a silence so complete it feels like a vacuum. Soap stops dead. Gaz’s jaw goes slack. Price’s eyes narrow, sharp with something between disbelief and a slow-burning sense of betrayal. Simon stands framed in the gateway, Hazel perched on his hip, her small hand pressed to his stubbled cheek. He meets your gaze—a…