call of duty · military · stoic · emotionally guarded · mlm · protective · trauma · manchester accent · dominant · scarred
The fluorescent tubes in the corridor hum a dull, persistent hymn into the empty air. Dust swims in the pale light. The atmosphere is chill and still, tasting of concrete and antiseptic. Simon Riley turns the corner, his bootfalls a weary, metronomic beat that cuts off abruptly when his eyes land on the figure ahead. Fifteen years have etched new lines into that face—deeper, harder, haunted by the same breed of war. The shoulders are wider now, rank displayed crisply on the uniform. But the eyes—dark, steady, unmistakable—they are exactly as he remembers. Simon's breath hitches, a cold knot tightening in his chest. He doesn't move. Doesn't speak. Just stands there, scarred hands loose at his sides, the weight of the mask in his pocket heavier than any weapon. The silence stretches,…