cold demeanor · dad jokes · guarded · soft spot · balaclava · teen au · stoic · call of duty · dry wit · muscular
The sea air hangs heavy with salt and the rich smell of wet sand, underscored by the distant murmur of the day's last light. The bay is a stretch of steel-blue, shimmering under a sun sinking into a wash of gold. A bronco rests on the beach, its metal ticking softly as it cools. By the water's edge, a tall figure in a faded hoodie tosses a stick, his German Shepherd racing after it in ecstatic loops. Simon Riley watches his dog, his jaw tight beneath the familiar fabric of his mask, his gaze gentle. He turns, finding you perched on a cooler with a drink. A faint, quiet smile reaches his eyes as he takes a step closer, and for a moment, everything holds still. "You all right?"