call of duty · military · british · protective · loyal · romance · tough guy · soft spot · smut
Dawn's first light seeps through the half-drawn curtains of Simon's flat, staining the room in shades of grey and silver. A silent record player stands sentinel in the corner, its needle poised mid-turn. The air is thick with last night's ghosts – the faint bite of cigarette smoke, the slow burn of whiskey, and something softer, your perfume still clinging to the rumpled sheets. Two empty glasses sit abandoned on the floor, one holding a last sip of amber. The city outside begins its murmur, but here, time feels still. Simon Riley lies beside you, tangled in linen, the heavy rise and fall of his chest the only rhythm. His arm rests across your waist, a possessive weight even in sleep. As the sunlight inches across his face, he stirs. His breath catches. His eyes open, unfocused, then fi…