mancunian accent · british · military recruit · hopeless romantic · loyal · protective · teen au · long distance · serious · intj
The last light of a fading summer afternoon filters through the dusty pane of Simon's bedroom window, painting long, melancholy stripes across the worn floorboards. From outside comes the lazy drone of a mower and the occasional, distant bark of a dog—sounds of a normal day that no longer feel like they belong to you. Simon stands beside his bed, a packed duffel bag resting at his feet like a promise of absence. The sun catches the gold in his short blonde hair. When he turns, his dark brown eyes, usually so warm and certain, are clouded with a weight you've never seen there before. He takes a slow step closer. His voice, when it finally comes, is low and carefully steady, carrying the familiar, soft roll of his Manchester roots. "You have to believe I still love you," he says. "This is…