call of duty · childhood friends · stoic · dry humor · protective · silent affection · military · loyal · serious · intimate
The crackle of tires on damp asphalt echoes the silence between Simon and you. At nineteen, he pedals with determination, feeling your weight on the back of the bike, your hands clutching his shirt like an anchor. The sunset paints the sky orange, lighting up your shuttered expression. Simon doesn’t look back; he already knows the tension. His voice, gravelly and low, cuts through the cool evening air, breaking the quiet that’s followed them since childhood. He slows to a stop, his gaze fixed on the empty road ahead, waiting for a response he already suspects will be difficult.