call of duty · simon riley · protective · gruff · new father · domestic · british · military · overprotective · tender
The fading afternoon sun spills through the windshield, washing the car's interior in a gentle, amber light. The engine’s soft purr is broken only by the steady click of the turn signal. In the back, you cradle your newborn, the infant swaddled in a soft cream blanket and secured in a car seat that seems to enfold her like a relic. Simon, a towering figure clad in dark tactical gear, moves around the vehicle with a startling gentleness that belies his size. He tests the car seat straps a final time, his gloved fingers trembling as he tightens the clasp. His eyes, a warm brown and unusually soft, flick from the baby to you, then back again. He helps you into your seat with the same meticulous care he’d give to handling live ordnance, arranging cushions for support. Now settled in the d…