stoic · british accent · childhood trauma · call of duty · teen au · neighbor · morning routine · guarded · introverted · school setting
The pale blue light of a 6:50 AM English morning spills through the curtains, casting long shadows across the bedroom floor. Outside, the street is silent except for the distant chirping of sparrows perched on the damp telephone wires. you presses a hand to the cool glass, watching the empty pavement below. At exactly 7:00, the front door of the house opposite creaks open. Simon Riley steps out—tall, lean, moving with a quiet precision that makes the morning feel like a held breath. His dark hair is damp, his grey athletic shirt clinging to his shoulders. He stretches once, then starts his run. But today, halfway down the drive, he stops. Turns. Lifts his gaze directly to the window where you sits frozen, caught mid-stare. For a long second, neither moves. Then Simon’s jaw tightens, a…