#cod comfort

tagging: @angel444riley

thinking about Simon Riley who can't sleep without you. he'd wake up breathless from a nightmare, breath uneven. his fists clenched, that familiar military instinct to grab his firearm shooting pure adrenaline through his veins.

his mind is still stuck in that post dream state, mission still fresh in his mind as he scanned around in the darkness, eyes starting around the shadows for any sign of movement.

soft breathing beside him broke through his haze and he squinted, catching sight of your figure sleeping soundly next to him, calm and breathing.

safe he thought, reassuring - forcing himself to take a breath as he tried to calm down, the sound of his heartbeat loud in his ears.

you stirred, feeling the rustling of his unrest.

"si?" you mumbled sleepily, turning towards him. his eyes softened. even half asleep you were still attentive, still worried about him.

he was quick to wrap his arms around you, warm and strong around your body as he pulled you against him. the knot in his chest loosened at the contact of your body against his, the tension in his shoulders fading as he buried his face in your neck - breathing in your scent.

still here he thought, closing his eyes in relief.

"shh lovie, go back to sleep" he replied huskily, settling against you.

you relaxed back into his arms, resting your cheek against his broad chest as sleep took over you again.

other nights when he'd wake up without you, he'd panic. dread settling in as he grasped the sheets next to him, seeking out your presence only to find it empty. he'd sit up wide awake, alert only to exhale when he heard you moving around in the bathroom, light shining beneath the door.

when you'd come out and see his expression, the left over anxiety in his eyes you'd rush over, cupping his face and smiling when he melted in your hold.

"still here" you'd whisper, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

his eyes would close at the contact of your lips, shoulders dropping and he'd wrap his arms around your waist, pulling you down onto the bed. you'd giggle at the abrupt action to which he smiled, the sound erasing whatever post nightmare plagued him and grounding him in the sound.

with you in his embrace, right where you belonged, he'd drift slowly back into slumber. peacefully.

But when he walks through the door, mind still half somewhere he’ll never talk about, and he sees you in the kitchen, humming, with your sleeves rolled up, he can hardly help the pang in his chest.

The table’s full. A roast, potatoes, and something with butter and garlic that fills his nose and warms him up and goes straight to his gut.

You turn with that terrifically happy smile, "Simon! You're home!" and in that moment he believes it. Finally home.

Then it all hits him at once. The smell, the warmth, the plates set for two, and ultimately, the sight of someone who thought about him while he's been gone for weeks with hardly a word.

He blinks once and then it’s all blurred through his tears. Then he’s standing there in the doorway like a terribly in love idiot.

You’re at his side in a heartbeat. “Si? What’s wrong?”

And he can only manage the small shake of his head because there’s no way to explain it.

How do you tell someone that you’ve spent a lifetime coming home to nothing?

So he just folds into you, hides his face against your shoulder, and you let him. You hold him until the tears slow, until his breath steadies, until he lifts you up if only to hear you giggle as he settles you into your chair.

He scoots his around the table so that he can sit next you. And he eats slow, enjoying every single bite of the door you made to share with him. Listening to the recap of the week you've had.

Later, when you're both finally settled in bed, you’ll tease him for apologizing, and for thanking you like it’s the first time anyone’s ever done it.

You won't question it, and he'll appreciate that more than you know.

Just thinking about Simon’s wife, who’s been sexually abused. So whenever things get heated between them, she freezes or fawns because of her trauma.

Simon knows how the world is towards women. He knows how he appears, big and threatening even though he’d never harm an innocent person. He’d especially never lay a hand on or so much as yell at his wife.

But trauma is trauma, and she still can’t get over the memories or the emotions that come with it. It clings to her like a leech latching onto skin and ripping blood out.

At first he’d assumed it was because you wanted time after giving birth to your daughter, which he was totally okay with, but after 5 months he started thinking there may be another reason.

He waited until Lily was asleep for her nap before he pulled you to sit with him on the sofa. “Hey love..”

It reassures him slightly when you smile up at him happily. “Hi..”

He feels like a nervous teenager, avoiding your eye contact and clearing his throat whilst he thinks of a way to start the conversation.

Your brows furrow slightly as you reach out to grab his hand. “John?”

Scooping you into his lap is somewhat to comfort you and somewhat to break the tension of a serious conversation. “I love you.. you know that, hm?”

It pains him slightly to see your expression go to concern and confusion. “I know.. John, what’s the matter?”

“You know I’d never pressure you into anything?”

“Of course I do..”

“I don’t want you to think we have to have sex, I’m just.. if there’s a reason you don’t want to, you can tell me..”

It’s expected that you pull away but it doesn’t stop him from cringing slightly, resisting the urge to hug you closer.

“Oh..”

His heart practically falls out of his ass at how hurt you look. “No- I’m not- I just.. I just wanted to know if I did something or if I could do something to make you feel comfortable..”

You shake your head slightly and the sight of tears in your eyes makes him temporarily forget he’s a war hardened soldier, feeling immediately desperate to cheer you up.

You pull away entirely, standing up in front of him. “I’m not.. the same- as before I was pregnant, John.. physically..”

He’s on his feet in a second, swiping a tear from your cheek before it can fall. “You know that’s not a problem for me love, I don’t expect you to be exactly the same as when we met and I love that..”

“You don’t get it..”

“You’re right, of course you are, there’s no way for me to understand what you’ve been through to give us our daughter.. but I love it.. all of the changes - stretch marks, loose skin - just shows what you went through..”

You shake your head and turn away from him. “No- I know you love that, you remind me all the time..”

He chuckles slightly, wrapping his arms round your middle, resting his chin on your shoulder. “Then what’s the matter? Talk to me baby, I want you to be comfortable with me..”

The silence stretches, and he lets it, he knows whatever the issue this is clearly a big deal to you.

“I’m not going to be..” You clear your throat, shuffling your feet. “tight.. anymore..”

That he didn’t expect, he hadn’t even considered that you would be worried about that. “That’s what you’re worried about?”

He feels your response rather than hears it, your head nodding against his.

“Love.. that’s not- that would never be an issue, you can’t help that, that’s not what sex is for me..”

You turn round in his arms, staying pressed against his chest. “No?”

He leans down, letting his forehead fall against yours. “No.. sex is also about us being close and showing you how much I love you..”

He slowly realises just how much you’ve been in your own head about this, if the way you frown is enough to go by. “But.. it’s not going to feel as good for you”

Despite the fact you’re already pressed to his chest he manages to hug you closer. “Any time I spend with you is amazing, no matter what, no question about it.”

“John..”

He pulls back, but only enough to look you in the eye. “I’m serious. I love you more than anything, every single physical change you’ve been through just reminds me how strong you are. You pushed a BABY out of you love, our daughter grew inside of you for 9 months, of course that’s going to change your body.”

This time when your eyes fill with tears it isn’t from embarrassment but rather the realisation of just how amazing your husband is. “Mean it?”

writing this in one sitting after waking up to a manga post on my dash (*´-`)

ㅡ

Simon hasn't returned for almost a year. It makes you uneasy, despite you're just a roommate, means it could be possible for you to not get any information regarding what happened to him during any of his mission. Or maybe you could, but somehow the lack of anything; messages, letters, or notifications about Simon makes you feel like left behind.

You're panicking internally. Not really because he is the one who pays the rent but because if he somehow died and you didn't even know, it feels like... so...

Then, there's a click on the door, it makes you jump on the couch, standing in anticipation and when Simon appeared from behind the door, you didn't know you were holding your breath until how loud you're exhaling.

"You're back," you greeted with a smile, trying to mask your worry as he entered the apartment.

He nods, casual, like usual, and you could say it means everything is under control. Maybe. "Have you been waiting?"

There's no immediate answer from you, but you smiled. "You've gone for like... what 10 months?"

"Ah, yeah, that long," he replied, dropping the bag onto the floor and approaching you with his lazy steps. But his expression, aside from the obvious exhaustion and the fact that he didn't wear his mask, looked like he had longed to see you again. "Did you miss me?"

"Oh, don't get cocky," you said playfully, and he scoffed, almost quietly as he stood in front of you.

It's been a very long, long time, since you've seen him and the way he had several new wounds on his face, they left you wondering if he ever thinks of home. And when he leans closer, and his eyes never leave your gaze, you don't flinch - you openly accept him. He's been out there, fighting for his life and maybe, now that he's safe, he wants to anchor himself in the moment.

You could feel the rough pad of his thumb pressing against the corner of your lips, steadily moving across your bottom lip while his eyes remain locked into yours. Slowly, he pulls your lip lower, enough for him to lean down and... press his lips on yours, letting you taste the remaining mint on his lips.

Simon was kissing you.

But instead of wondering why, it just feels so right that you closed your eyes, allowing him to take control over the kiss. The way his lips moved, capturing yours and savoring the way your lips taste, like he's been thinking about it, has been missing it the whole time. It's soft, Simon was soft.

Then, when the kiss deepens, his mouth parts wider to let his tongue enter your mouth, you hear a soft grunt. It sounds like he found something right, like having to taste you completely was what he needed after that long time of surviving. His hand snaked around your waist, the other moved from your jaw to the back of your head, holding you close to him, removing any remaining distance.

"I miss you," Simon whispered right into your lips, leaving you whimpering softly. He said it as if he were your husband, like he's been out there, with you occupying his mind.

The kiss grew more urgent, heavier breath and unsteady gasps, tongue tangling with one another. He tilted his head, pulling you by the head and not allowing the two of you to catch your breath. It's hard not to whine into the kiss, but instead, your arms wrap around his neck and - do exactly the same thing - pulling him even closer as if you want to mold yourself with him.

"I've been thinking about you."

That was what he said, before he hugs you tightly and breathes in your scent, as if you're the one who saved his life. Was the kiss romantic? You weren't sure how to answer, but given the weight of emotions and what Simon said to you, it's safe to say that... maybe you're more than just a roommate.

But perhaps, more than just a lover?

Yes, perhaps, you're more like half of him who kept him grounded during hard times. Soulmate, perhaps?

ㅡ

kirayamee, 2025 ][ do not copy

SFW, comfort

You’ve always been quick to fear. Like a scared fawn. Any anger makes you shut down, shake, go silent. It’s not until a few months into your relationship with Johnny that he sees it - the prey-like response. He didn’t mean to sound angry, and it definitely wasn’t angry at you, yet you still shut down. Turned into a baby deer. He’s learned that you can take a lot, but not anger. And that’s okay.

There was a day where you came home in that state. Well, you were masking it pretty hard. But it fell apart when Johnny asked you how your day was.

“Bon..” He wrapped his arms around you as you started to cry very quietly into his shirt.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry for being so weak.” You warbled.

“Not weak, lovey.” The scot hummed into your ear before he kissed it gently. “Do you want to talk about it? What happened?”

You flinched as your brain replayed the anger you faced today. You shake your head. Johnny pet back your hair. “Lets just go cuddle on the couch then, mm?” He offers.

So you do. Curled up in a ball, not crying but still in that anxious state. Johnny holds your face in his palms, rubbing the pads of his thumbs over your cheeks and kissing your forehead over and over. Ever so slowly you come back to the present. You smiled gently, and he smiled back tenfold. “There’s my good baby.” He praises.