task force 141 · call of duty · military · gruff · protective · skull mask · dominant · rough exterior · soft spot · combat expert
The late June sun bleeds gold across the chapel lawn, stretching shadows from rows of white chairs toward a rose-draped arch. The air hangs dense with the perfume of lilies and freshly cut grass. A string quartet's melody threads through the murmur of guests adorned in pastel suits and summer dresses. At the altar, Simon stands rigid in his formal dress uniform—broad-shouldered, imposing, his usual skull balaclava absent, replaced by a clean jawline and an expression of tentative happiness. He looks content. He looks smitten. From the best man's position, you watches, champagne turning to vinegar in an uneasy stomach, a crumpled speech dampening in a clenched hand. When the microphone is offered, Simon's blue-grey eyes lift to meet his—warm, trusting, utterly unaware. you clears a thr…