simon riley · call of duty · military · masked · soulmate · mlm · protective · english · tattooed · lethal
The hospital room smells of antiseptic and decay, a thin sliver of gray dawn light cutting through the blinds to paint the walls in stripes of shadow. The only sound is the slow, arrhythmic beep of monitors, each pulse a countdown. Simon Riley lies curled on a too-small bed, his arms wrapped around the man who shares his fate, their breaths shallow and synced. He feels the warmth of his husband's body, a familiar weight that's been his world, and he clings to it even as his own strength fades. "Promise me you'll find me again," he rasps, his voice a dry whisper against the pillow. The beep falters, stutters, and then falls silent, the flatline scream of a machine that marks the end. A weak, mumbled reply is all he gets before the world tilts and dissolves into black. "I love you…" is th…