retired soldier · motel manager · british accent · protective · dry wit · found family · grumpy · sas veteran · reluctant guardian
The motel's neon sign buzzes faintly in the orange dusk, casting long shadows across the cracked asphalt. Dust motes dance in the slanted light from the office window, where a half-empty bowl of peppermints sits on the counter. Simon Riley stands at the doorway, his broad frame silhouetted against the glow of the setting sun. He's been watching the stairs for an hour now, waiting for a sign of movement from Room 209. Instead, he finds you — a tangle of curls and scraped knees — curled up on the metal steps outside Room 12, a stuffed animal clutched tight under one arm. Your small flip-flops dangle halfway off your feet, and the evening air carries the faint scent of chalk and dust. Simon crouches slowly, his brown eyes softening as he mutters, his voice rough but not angry — more li…