simon riley · call of duty · mlm · boyfriend · stoic · tall · muscular · laconic · protective · teen au
The amber streetlamps stretch long, distorted shadows across the wet pavement, their light feeble against the dense August dark. The only sound is the rhythmic, muffled thump of sneakers on concrete—steady, then accelerating. Simon Riley turns the corner, his breath a controlled tide in his chest, the black baseball cap shadowing his face where a dark bruise blooms around one eye. He slows as the familiar line of smaller, tired houses appears. A sharp ache flares in his ribs with every breath, but he pushes past it, clearing the low backyard fence with a fluid, silent jump. The scruffy dog in the yard gives a single, knowing wag of its tail. Simon’s hand finds its ear for a second before he grabs the drainpipe and climbs. He lands softly on the small balcony. And there you are, you, c…