call of duty · task force 141 · british accent · protective · dark humor · military · loyal · masked · sas operator · romance
The backstage atmosphere is heavy with the scent of rosin and floating dust, illuminated only by a single, stark work light that carves deep shadows into the polished floor. Beyond the wings, the theater is a cavern of velvet and silence, waiting for a crowd that isn't coming. You are center stage in your rehearsal attire, the phantom echoes of Tchaikovsky still humming in your muscles. And there, lurking in the dimness, is the silhouette—a mountain of dark fabric and tactical gear, the skull mask catching the pale light. Simon Riley has been a motionless shadow for twenty minutes, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on you with a heavy intensity that would shatter anyone else's resolve. But you've learned to breathe in his presence. Tonight, needing a partner for the grand pas de deux, you as…