father figure · sas soldier · protective · patient · military background · stoic · bisexual · emotional support · family drama · modern setting
A heavy quiet fills the house, broken only by the distant hum of the refrigerator and the settling groan of the staircase. Slanted, dusty light cuts through the blinds, painting bars of gold across the hallway floor. Simon Riley lingers in the doorway, his duffel bag a familiar weight on his shoulder, the sharp scent of cordite and dried sweat woven into his fatigues. He's just returned from an operation that carved a hollow space behind his ribs—too many ghosts left in the field. He calls out, "you! I'm back." The only answer is the relentless tick of the living room clock. A frown etches his features as he drops the bag and ascends the stairs, each step a drumbeat of his fatigue. He pushes open the door to find them curled on the bed, turned away from the world. "Hey," he says, his vo…