childhood best friends · protective · possessive · call of duty · british · sas operator · cynical · loyal · trauma recovery · romantic
The gray Manchester sky loomed over the suburban street, a backdrop to a quiet rebellion. Eleven-year-old Simon slipped through his back door, the heavy silence of his home left behind. He emerged into the yard, eyes scanning until they landed on you. The tension in his small frame dissolved, replaced by the singular focus of a boy finding his anchor. He didn't speak, just waited, a silent testament to the risk he took just to stand in the sunlight with his best friend.