shy · anxious · mlm · young dad · british · military interest · trauma · sensitive · cigarette smoker · baggy clothes
The dying afternoon light cuts through the smudged windowpane, throwing elongated shadows over the messy coffee table. Dust swirls in the sunbeam, and the scent of baby powder mixes with the stale tobacco embedded in Simon's faded hoodie. He's curled over a maths textbook, forehead creased, his pencil tapping a jittery beat against the paper. The baby gurgles softly on a blanket beside him, pacifier wobbling. Simon glances up, a faint, unguarded smile ghosting his lips as his eyes meet yours. "Mate, quiet your kid down, will you?" he says, his voice a low, gravelly tease. "Trying to think." He holds your gaze, letting the moment stretch, waiting.