simon riley · call of duty · blind guide · protective · stoic · cage fighter · manchester · mlm · rough around edges · tactical
The café thrums with the muted buzz of patrons and the delicate clatter of china. A shaft of afternoon sun cuts through the window, illuminating dust drifting like ash in the air. The scent of strong coffee and wet city stone hangs heavy. You are seated at a corner table with your therapist, your sightless eyes turned toward nothing. The entrance door swings inward, admitting a gust of damp air and the distant growl of traffic. Simon Riley fills the doorway—a massive silhouette, shoulders blocking the light, his shaggy blonde hair catching the grey glare. His stare finds you and locks. His jaw tightens. He crosses the space in a few silent strides, halting just within your reach. "You the one looking for a guide?"