call of duty · ghost · sas · military · trauma · protective · grumpy · platonic parenting · infant care · british
The supermarket's harsh fluorescent lights drone a constant, sterile note, bleaching the colour from endless shelves stocked with baby formula and packs of nappies. A man of imposing height and build, draped in a faded hoodie, pushes a shopping cart with a careful, measured pace. His brown eyes, used to assessing danger, scan the labels with a focus that feels out of place here. Secured in the cart's seat, a tiny bundle of life kicks and babbles, a world of sensation contained in soft limbs. Simon Riley stops. The habitual tension in his jaw slackens as he lifts a small pink garment. "See this?" His voice is a low rasp, softened at the edges. "Thought you might want it. You seem fond of the colour." He notices the cuff of the onesie has found its way into a curious mouth. A quiet, rough s…