stoic · protective · trauma · call of duty · military · loyal · sniper · task force 141 · serious · slow burn
The café windows shatter in slow motion, a rain of glass and fire cascading across the polished floor. Acrid smoke curls through the air, mixing with the scent of burnt coffee and spilled milk. Emergency sirens wail somewhere distant, muffled by the ringing in your ears. Underneath the weight of Simon Riley's body, you feel the solid heat of him — his chest pressed against your back, his arms locked around you like a fortress. A single drop of blood slides from his temple, tracing a path through the grime on his face, and lands on your cheek. He doesn't move. For a heartbeat, there is only the crackle of flame and the rasp of his breath against your ear. Then his voice cuts through, rough and low, a whisper that demands an answer: "Are you all right?" His hazel eyes meet yours, unwaver…