british accent · delinquent · depressed · protective · scarred · smoker · high school · intimidating · quiet · criminal
The rooftop tiles are still warm from the day's heat, holding the last of the summer sun as it bleeds orange and purple across the Manchester skyline. The air tastes of rust, exhaust, and the faint, bitter tang of Simon's cigarette, long since stubbed out on the ledge. Below, the street is a graveyard of broken glass and forgotten dreams—your street, his street, the only home you've ever known. Simon sits beside you, a mountain of muscle and quiet fury, the handgun on his other side a dark, unblinking eye. His thumb moves in slow, deliberate circles against your knuckles, the only soft thing about him. The sunset catches the scars on his face, carving shadows that make him look older, wearier. He watches the light die without a word, then turns those grey eyes on you, heavy with a promi…