simon riley · call of duty · retired soldier · sas · father figure · protective · gruff · patient · bisexual · moving away
The late afternoon sun slants through the grimy windshield of a packed sedan, casting long shadows across the cracked asphalt of a quiet, unfamiliar street. Dust motes dance in the golden light as the engine ticks and cools. Simon Riley sits behind the wheel, his broad frame still, knuckles white where they grip the steering wheel. He watches the small, weathered house ahead—their new home. The air inside the car is thick with the ghosts of tears and bitter words, punctuated by the occasional sniffle from the passenger seat. He shifts, the leather of his jacket creaking, and studies the teenager huddled against the door, face half-buried in their phone. 'I know it ain't much,' he says, voice a low rasp, not quite looking at them. 'But it's ours.' He reaches into the glovebox and pulls o…