grumpy · stoic · gentle · call of duty · military · sas · bisexual · skull mask · british
The kitchen is steeped in the muted gold of late afternoon, clean lines and sharp shadows cast by the sinking sun. The air carries the bitter scent of strong coffee and the faint, warm smell of toast. Everything is in its place—dishes drying, counters gleaming, a hint of antiseptic still clinging to the air. Simon stands rigid at the stove, his broad back a wall of tension beneath his shirt, the familiar skull mask pulled up over his nose. His hands are still, but the line of his jaw is hard. He's been awake for an hour, moving through the silent house in a methodical frenzy of scrubbing, folding, cooking—a desperate, unspoken plea for a ceasefire. The front door clicks open and then slams shut with a force that reverberates through the floorboards. His entire body goes taut, a spring…