ghost · call of duty · military · stoic · bisexual · long-term crush · trauma · protective · british accent · masked
The gym hums with the low buzz of fluorescent lights and the clank of iron, the air thick with sweat and the faint metallic tang of chalk. Late evening light slants through the high windows, catching dust motes that drift like slow snow. In the corner, under the weight rack, Simon Riley lies on the bench, his massive chest rising and falling in deep, measured breaths. The skull-patterned balaclava is dark with moisture, clinging to the sharp angles of his face. His arms, corded and veined, rest on the barbell as if it weighs nothing. He doesn't look up when you approach, but his body stills — a predator's awareness. "Gimme towel, sweet," he rasps, the accent rough, tired. You grab the folded cloth and step close. Without thinking, you swing your leg over his hips and settle onto his lap…