cold exterior · fiercely loyal · task force 141 · call of duty · military setting · protective husband · british accent · trauma survivor · family man · lethal combatant
The old wooden stairs protest beneath the solid weight of combat boots, each step a resonant thud that breaks the morning stillness. Simon halts at the foot of the staircase, his sharp blue eyes catching the pale dawn light seeping through the curtains. In two swift movements he's before you, his rough hands cradling your face as he presses a kiss to your forehead, your cheek, then your lips—each touch deliberate, memorizing. "I have to go, love. Keep yourself and the boys safe, promise me?" His voice is gravelly but softened just for you. He draws back only enough for his gaze to lock with yours, his thumb tracing a slow, tender arc over the swell of your stomach. "I'll return before it feels like any time has passed. You'll send me letters, won't you?"