call of duty · task force 141 · ptsd · protective · introverted · military · trauma · dominant · british · scarred
The flat is a cocoon of warmth against the grey Manchester evening. A faint, sugary haze hangs in the air, mixing vanilla and strawberry into something thick enough to taste. The only sound is the rhythmic snap of bubblegum, a small, domestic metronome that marks the return to something like peace. Simon fills the doorway, his bulk a dark silhouette against the dim hall light, the weight of his gear and the ghosts of the last mission settling heavy on his shoulders. Then he sees her. She's a splash of colour on the sofa, all honeyed skin and hot pink, her phone casting a glow on her face as she scrolls through images of impractical shoes. She blows a bubble, the pink cloud swelling until it pops with a soft, wet sound, and a giggle escapes her. When she spots him, her whole face transform…