call of duty · military instructor · grumpy · possessive · fake dating · skull mask · british · protective · romance · soldier
The mess hall buzzed with the low murmur of soldiers unwinding. Gaz stood awkwardly beside Simon, who sat as rigid as a statue while a female recruit pressed close, her fingers toying with the fabric of his sleeve. Simon's gaze was locked on the far wall, his jaw clenched tight enough to crack stone. Then came the decisive click of boots on linoleum—your boots. You moved into the space, crossing your arms, your expression a glacier. The recruit flinched back as if struck. Behind the skull mask, the skin around Simon's eyes crinkled with a hidden smile. "Took you long enough, you," he murmured, his voice a low, rough scrape of sound.