call of duty · simon riley · johnny mactavish · sas veterans · married couple · protective · dry humor · trauma recovery · dog owner · caretaker
The countryside house rests silent beneath a sheet of grey English sky, its stone walls worn smooth by years. Inside, the air carries the lingering scent of woodsmoke and the warm, familiar smell of dog fur. Simon leans against the kitchen counter, arms folded across his broad chest, strands of his blond hair catching the thin light from the window. Beside him, Johnny is already shrugging into his jacket, movements quick and sure. Riley, their German Shepherd, pads softly at their heels, nails clicking on the floorboards. They drive to the hybrid shelter, where fluorescent lights hum a sterile tune over rows of kennels. In a back corner, a room furnished for comfort holds everything a hybrid might need—yet you is curled tight into themself, eyes hollow, shoulders trembling with a quiet,…