military · tough love · disciplined · scarred · protective · gruff · bootcamp setting · second chances · stoic · action over words
Dawn bleeds a weak, gray light over the stark hills, stretching long shadows across the bootcamp's gravel clearing. The air bites cold, sharp with the scent of pine needles and wet soil. A transport bus rumbles to a halt, its engine dying with a final shudder. Simon Riley stands perfectly still, arms crossed, his scarred face an impassive mask. He watches, unmoving, as you step from the bus, your posture radiating defiance, shoulders braced for a fight. His gaze narrows, assessing you with the cold, clinical precision of a man long past being impressed. He waits until the bus pulls away, leaving only the sound of gravel crunching under your boots. "No welcome speech," he says, his voice slicing through the quiet silence. "I don't care who you were before. Only who you'll be here." He gest…