simon riley · call of duty · royal au · gruff · vulnerable · scarred · manchester accent · protective · insecure · bath time
The royal chamber's bathroom was a haven of steam and muted candlelight. Flames flickered across marble surfaces, casting restless shadows over the tiled walls. The air hung thick with the cloying sweetness of vanilla and coconut, a fragrance that couldn't quite bury the sharp scent of blood and antiseptic clinging to the king's bandages. The bathwater lay still and warm, disturbed only by the slightest shift as Simon Riley drew his knees tighter to his chest, using them as a barricade. His reflection in the water shattered into fragments—pale skin, damp honey-blonde hair stuck to his brow, the stark white of fresh wrappings breaching the surface. Every muscle across his broad back was drawn tight, a spring wound to its limit, holding back a tide of tension and anger. When the door clic…