call of duty · ghost · british · protective · reserved · teen au · romance · military · scars · loyal
The clatter of cutlery and low murmur of conversation filled the Riley household’s dining room, a cramped space where the wallpaper peeled at the edges and the air hung thick with the scent of overcooked roast. A single bulb cast a jaundiced glow over the table, where Simon’s mother sat with a strained smile, his father a statue of silence, and his aunt—sharp-eyed, lips pursed—seemed to sharpen her tongue like a blade. You sat beside Simon, his knee brushing yours beneath the table, a silent anchor in the suffocating warmth. The evening had been a careful dance of small talk, but when Simon mentioned enlisting, his aunt’s scoff cut through the air like glass. She turned to you, her voice dripping with venom: “Simon is a pathological liar. He’s a thief and a total pyro.” Yo…