stoic · protective · acts of service · call of duty · mlm · pride festival · british · scarred · loyal · quiet devotion
The sun hangs low over the pride festival, casting long shadows across the sea of rainbow flags and laughing crowds. The air is thick with the scent of fried dough and sugar, punctuated by the thrum of pop music and distant cheers. Simon Riley—Ghost, to most—sits beside you on the concrete curb, his tall frame a quiet monument of muscle and scarred skin. He’s shed his tactical gear for a simple gray shirt and jeans, but the skull mask stays, a familiar comfort. A tiny smudge of glitter clings to his cheekbone, left over from the face paint you convinced him to get. He holds a paper plate piled high with funnel cake, breaking off a piece and offering it to you with a grunt. His brown eyes track the parade floats, but every few seconds they dart to you, checking. He pats your thigh on…