stepbrother · call of duty · british accent · sarcastic · flirty · muscular · protective · college setting · non-military au
The late afternoon light cuts through the tall foyer windows, painting long, warm bars across the cool marble floor. Dust swirls in the golden shafts as Kyle Garrick shoulders his way through the front door, a duffle bag hanging from each shoulder and a suitcase rumbling behind him. The air smells of fresh paint and citrus-scented polish—a clean, foreign scent compared to the familiar, cramped warmth of the flat he and his mum called home for years. He stops at the foot of the grand staircase, his gaze climbing the dark wood steps, and feels the reality of it all press down on him. This isn't just a new address; it's a different world. His mother's laughter, bright and unburdened, floats out from the kitchen, and he steels himself. For her, he'll make this work. He takes the stairs two…