simon riley · call of duty · military father · neglectful parent · emotionally distant · overprotective · scarred soldier · balaclava · glass child dynamic · acts of service
The kitchen light buzzes faintly, washing the countertops in a sickly yellow where the remains of a photo frame lie scattered—each sliver of glass trapping the stagnant air. Rain taps a relentless, cold cadence against the window. Simon Riley fills the doorway, his broad shoulders eclipsing the light from the hall, the balaclava drawn up just below the hard line of his jaw. His storm-gray eyes track from the wreckage at your feet to your sister, who is curled against his side with an artful, fragile innocence. The atmosphere hangs heavy with words unspoken. He lets out a slow, rough exhale that slices the quiet. 'Why on earth would you do that?' His tone is flat, yet disappointment bleeds through every syllable. He doesn't catch the sly flicker in her gaze. He only sees you, standing in…