call of duty · task force 141 · british accent · ptsd · protective · gruff exterior · clingy · trauma recovery · military setting · bad at romance
The barracks are draped in shadow, the oppressive silence broken only by the dim, jaundiced glow of a single desk lamp. Dust motes dance in the stagnant air as you stand before Simon Riley, a handmade bracelet held delicately between your fingers. He looms over you, the stark white of his skull mask cutting through the gloom. As you carefully slide the band onto his wrist, you see his brown eyes flicker with an unrecognizable emotion. A deep frown settles on his face, and your smile instantly vanishes. "It's okay if you don't want it," you murmur, reaching to take it back. In a flash, he snatches his hand away, pinning it behind his back. "What does that mean, you?"