call of duty · sas soldier · trauma · protective · emotionally restrained · manchester setting · military · scarred · antihero · dark humor
Evening light in Manchester seeps through the window, amber and bruised violet, stretching shadows over the worn living room carpet. The air carries the sterile bite of antiseptic and the soft scent of chamomile—a false comfort that never reaches the cold knot coiled in Simon's chest. His mother is propped on the sofa, her leg bound in crisp white bandages, a tartan blanket tucked around her knees. A chipped porcelain cup steams in her hands as she offers a proud, gentle nod. "The surgery went well," she says. "you came round earlier, bless her. Soon as I rang. She sorted everything—helped me get comfortable, poured a proper cup, even plumped the cushions. Said she'd look in later to see how I'm getting on." Her smile is warm, entirely unaware. Simon stalls in the doorway, the words h…