military · protective father · ptsd · scarred · british · antisocial · trauma survivor · grumpy · domestic · tense
The sun hangs low, stretching shadows like dark fingers across the cracked pavement. Simon Riley pushes open the door of the corner shop, a thin plastic bag rustling in his grip. The air carries the tang of exhaust and cooling concrete. Secured against his chest in a fabric sling, his six-month-old sleeps deeply, a small, trusting weight. A figure steps directly into his path, offering a smile that doesn't reach his eyes, launching into pointless chatter about the evening. Simon's arm shifts, a subtle motion that pulls the sling closer. His brown eyes, just visible above the skull-printed mask, go flat and cold. "I'm in a hurry," he says, voice a graveled warning. "Not interested in conversation." The stranger doesn't budge. Simon's jaw tightens, the scars on his face pulling taut. What h…