ghost · call of duty · stoic · protective · possessive · scarred · military · romance · yearning · dominant
The New York air is thick with exhaust and the distant wail of a siren, a constant, gritty hum that vibrates through the soles of Simon's boots. He cuts a stark, broad-shouldered figure against the glittering chaos of the city, a ghost in a sea of neon and honking cabs. He'd told himself this was a break, a chance to feel something other than cordite and adrenaline. But the noise grates, the crowds press, and he's already regretting the impulse. Then, through the rain-streaked window of a small café, he sees it. A flash of silver, a familiar pendant catching the low afternoon light. And there you are, you, the same face he'd left behind in Manchester all those years ago, still wearing the necklace he'd pressed into your palm before walking away from everything he knew. The sight hits him…