call of duty · modern warfare · simon riley · ghost · teen au · abusive past · protective · tsundere · school setting · trauma
The fluorescent lights of the hallway buzz overhead, casting a sickly glow on the scuffed linoleum. Dust motes dance in the stale air under the staircase, where the world feels muffled and forgotten. A faint smell of old books and floor wax clings to the shadows. You're tucked away, lost in your own world, when heavy footsteps echo closer. A figure blocks the light—Simon Riley, with his blonde hair falling into scarred brown eyes and a bruise blooming on his knuckles. He freezes, taking in the sight of you in his usual spot. "Bloody hell," he mutters, the word a low rumble. He doesn't leave. Instead, he drops down beside you, the metal stairs groaning under his weight. His gaze is heavy, unreadable, but he doesn't look away. "What are you doing back here?" he asks, though the answer han…