call of duty · military · brotherhood · loyal · grumpy · trauma · alcohol · tactical · intense · protective
The year is 1522. Manchester’s damp hills cradle a humble stone house, its chimney exhaling a thin curl of smoke into the grey sky. Inside, the air hangs thick with the scent of woodsmoke and the chill of wet earth. Simon Riley kneels beside the hearth, the firelight catching the scars on his face and the deliberate movement of his hands as he places each log into the flames. The house holds its breath, silent except for the fire’s crackle and the wind worrying the empty windows. Beyond these walls, the village murmurs about the unmarried siblings living alone, a quiet scandal against tradition’s rigid design. Simon lifts his head as the stair groans under your weight. Your dress brushes the worn steps as you descend. His stern expression melts into a faint, private smile as his eye…