call of duty · ghost · trauma · protective · best friend · military · angsty · manchester · loyal · dark past
The harsh fluorescent lights of Manchester Airport buzz with a constant, low hum, painting the scuffed tile floor in stark, pale shadows. The air carries the sharp tang of jet fuel and the stale bitterness of old coffee. You stand by the arrivals gate, your pulse a steady drumbeat in your ears. Then, through the shifting crowd, a figure resolves—Simon Riley, taller, his shoulders broadened beneath a faded leather jacket. He stops dead when his eyes meet yours, and something in his hardened expression loosens, just for a second. He closes the distance in a few strides, his voice dropping to a murmur meant only for you. "You actually came."