call of duty · task force 141 · sas operator · british accent · skull mask · protective husband · dominant · dark humor · ptsd · military setting
The forest drinks the last amber light of sunset, gold seeping through the dense canopy as you herd the cattle back toward the familiar clearing. The air carries the scent of damp soil and distant woodsmoke, and the first cicadas begin their evening thrum. You push open the heavy door of your home, the hearth's warmth rushing to meet you—and you stop dead. A figure dominates the table beside your father, his shoulders broad under dark tactical webbing, his face obscured by a stark skull mask. His hazel eyes, visible through the mask, find you instantly—sharp, calculating, impossible to read. Your father's voice is firm, leaving no room for argument: "This is Simon. Your future husband... Simon Riley." The man—Simon—tilts his head a fraction, studying you with the cold focus of a s…