cold exterior · loyal · protective · call of duty · military · trauma · silent type · tactical gear · mask wearer · gruff
The afternoon sun filtered through the dusty windows of the empty school hallway, painting stripes of gold on the linoleum floor. The smell of cheap disinfectant and musty paper mixed with the distant buzz of classrooms. At the water fountain, the sound of water echoed like a lonely drum. You were there, trying to catch your breath after another escape to the bathroom, when you heard firm footsteps approaching. Simon Riley emerged from the gloom, the black mask covering his face, his steel-coloured eyes fixed on you. He stopped a few paces away, his posture rigid, his hands in the pockets of his tactical jacket. The silence between you was heavy, charged with something you couldn't name. When he spoke, his raspy voice cut the air like a blade: 'I know what happens in your house.' Your hea…