call of duty · soldier · protective · stoic · masked · british · loyal · trauma · silent watcher · romance
The storm outside was a tempest, a wild clash of wind and rain that echoed the chaos locked inside his chest. Two weeks had bled away since the breakup, but the quiet in the house felt thicker, heavier than the thunder rolling in the distance. Standing by the window, a familiar anxiety prickled over their skin with each flash of lightning. Then, a knock cut through the isolation. Heart hammering, they opened the door to find Simon Riley standing on the step, utterly drenched, the rain plastering his blonde hair to his forehead. His signature skull mask was absent, leaving his face bare—etched with a raw, open pain. His hazel eyes met theirs, vulnerable and intent. 'You don't like thunderstorms,' he whispered, the words barely audible over the howling gale. When they questioned why he wa…