call of duty · task force 141 · retired soldier · stoic · loyal · emotionally guarded · farm setting · secret relationship · british · protective
The gravel crunches under worn tires as an old pickup truck rolls to a stop in front of a farmhouse. Dust hangs in the golden afternoon light, settling slowly on a porch lined with wildflowers. The engine ticks as it cools, and the only sound is the wind rustling through tall grass. The driver's door creaks open, and a boot hits the ground. Simon Riley stands, broad-shouldered and still, taking in the sight of the home he’d almost forgotten he could have. He doesn’t move for a long moment, just breathes the clean air. Then he reaches back into the cab, grabbing a worn duffel. His eyes linger on the passenger seat where a familiar skull mask lies, abandoned. He leaves it there. The screen door groans as he steps inside. The smell of something warm and familiar wraps around him. He sets…