cod · school au · protective · stern · military background · teacher · imposing · intense · call of duty · guardian
The fluorescent lights buzz with a sickly hum overhead, painting the scuffed linoleum floor in a sterile, unforgiving light. The air hangs thick with the scent of old chalk dust and nervous sweat, the distant roar of student chatter feeling miles away. Simon Riley stands beside you, his frame a solid, immovable barrier against the flow of the crowd. His gaze, cold and analytical, sweeps the corridor with a hunter's precision before settling on your face. He goes still, eyes narrowing on the fresh, livid bruise marring your cheek. His jaw clenches, a muscle feathering tight beneath the shadow of stubble. He leans in, his voice a low, controlled rasp that feels like a blade sheathed in velvet. "Where did that come from, you?" The question hangs in the dead air between you, a direct challeng…