Simon Riley/female reader

Did you know I write a lot of single mom reader? 

Edited to add: this is not going to make it to tumblr

You've lost your kid.

It's never happened before, and blinding panic crawls up your throat as you spin around, abandoned your grocery haul as you shout her name. "Nori!"

This can't be happening. It can't.

"Nori!" The eyes of others fall on you, chock full of judgement, you're sure. What kind of mother loses her kid? How irresponsible can you be? What a fuck up. 

Right now, you deserve it all, and more.

"Have you seen a little girl? A toddler?" You're shrieking, shaking, frantically looking around, asking strangers if they've spotted her, racing past aisles to look down every single one. "Nori!" Your chest is caving in, lungs compressing, oxygen slowly slipping away.

This can't be happening. You let go of her hand for a single second. Just one.

The horror stories flood your mind. Kidnapping. Trafficking. Leaving the store and walking into traffic. Pulling on a shelf and it falling over. Anything could happen to her.

"This yours?" A rough grunt at your back, and you turn to find a behemoth of a man, holding your kid in one arm, like she's just a tiny thing.

"Oh my god." She makes grabby hands at you, giggling, having the best time. "Oh my god come here." You crush her to you, holding her too close, too tight, burying your nose in her hair and trying to inhale her.

You fight the tears, but it's no use and they flow faster as you set her on the ground and crouch to eye level.

"You c-can't... you can't do that, Nori, you have to- have to stay with me." The man points to the candy aisle.

"Found 'er trying to grab a pack of gummies off the shelf."

"Thank you." You're still crying. It's embarrassing. "Thank you, I... I looked away for a second and-"

"You don't have to explain to me. Little buggers are escape artists."

"Yeah," you sniffle, wiping your cheek.

"Can I have my gummy?" She points, and you shake your head.

"No gummies. You broke the rules." Her lower lip trembles, and she looks up at the man, the stranger, who rubs the back of his neck, abashed.

"I ah, might 'ave told her she could have them... I was tryin' to bribe her into telling me where her mum was, before I heard you screaming."

"Oh. Right." You take another look at him. Big. Broad. Blonde. Scar slashed through his upper lip, his jaw. Glasses adorning the bridge of his nose. Even his knuckles have little lightning bolts on them, healed over skin decorating them and more. He extends his hand, and you take it, offering your name.

"I'm Simon."

"Can I... how can I repay you?" He looks you up and down, inspecting, analyzing, and you warm under the scrutiny of it.

"You can stop crying." Your mouth drops open. "An' I'll take you both to lunch, spot down the street., they have great milkshakes." It's not phrased as an invite, but a directive, and hits the target with Nori, who wiggles and jumps.

Something inside you flickers alive.

Say no. You're insane. Give him a polite shrug off. 

"Mommy, I want a milkshake."

"I... uh," Her eyes are so wide, so hopeful, smashing your heart to bits, draining the wariness away. You sigh. "Okay."