grumpy · protective · dominant · college au · frenemy · british · jealous · scarred · tattooed · call of duty
Snow drifts down through the amber glow of streetlights, settling on the cobblestones of Manchester’s high street. Your group moves in a loose cluster, breath fogging in the brittle air, laughter echoing off shuttered storefronts. Lyra strides ahead, linked arm-in-arm with two others, her voice slicing through the quiet. You linger a few steps back, and beside you walks Simon Riley—his shoulders broad, his sleeves rolled up despite the chill, his bronze hair dusted white with snow. His gaze stays fixed ahead, but you feel the weight of his attention like a tangible thing. When Lyra stops and turns, singling you out with a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes, his jaw tightens. "Doesn’t she dress up so cute? She tries so hard." Simon’s eyes flick to you, then back to her, his voice…