Simon Riley's Civilian neighbour was not your average "Y/N" no. 💪🏻💪🏻
A busted kitchen pipe? You fixed it.
A blown fuse bulb? Sorted.
Rats in your kitchen? You’d catch them bare-handed before asking a man for help. You were not only the eldest daughter, but the eldest grandchild, and your mum (eldest daughter) and dad (eldest son). So asking for help wasn't a default setting.
But sometimes - rarely - you were stuck.
Like the night your car started leaking something dark and slick onto the driveway.
"Shit. No. No" you muttered, crouching to inspect it. Oil. Maybe. Or something worse.
Seven in the evening. Makeup half done. Phone buzzing with *Where are you?* texts from the girls.
You straightened and felt it before you saw him.
Simon. Your new neighbour.
He stood on his porch, glass in hand, watching you with an intensity that made you shift your weight. Big man. Quiet street. The '141 Boys' sticker on his jeep caught the light.
Finance job, he'd told neighbours when he moved in. Didn’t explain the balaclava. Didn’t explain the way he watched - like he was assessing a situation, not a person. He was so...weird.
He set the glass down. Didn’t rush. Walked over.
"Car’s bleedin" he said flatly.
You blinked. "Oh. Right. Yeah. I noticed."
His eyes flicked to the stain under the car. Then to you.
"Need help, or you just starin’ at it?"
Your jaw tightened. "…I don’t know what’s wrong."
That seemed to satisfy him. Might've boosted that ego all men carry these days.
"Stay there."
He disappeared into his house and came back with a toolbox. Heavy. Metal worn. Not new.
You think he will ask for permission to enter your yard but nah. He crouched, already reaching under your car.
"Don’t start it."
"I wasn’t going to" does he think you are some dumb little girl.
"Good" he muttered. "That would’ve made it worse."
You hovered nearby, arms crossed. Watching his hands. Large. Scarred. Steady.
"Hm." He clicked his tongue. "Oil pan’s leakin."
Your stomach dropped. "Is that bad? That sounds bad."
"Depends how long you ignore it."
You exhaled sharply. "Can you..." You hesitated. "Can you explain it to me?"
He paused. Slowly looked up at you.
"…Explain it."
"So if it happens again" you said, "I know what to do."
Silence stretched.
"You tryin’ to fix it yourself next time?" he frowns looking up at you.
"Yes" you repeat firmly.
He opens his mouth maybe to argue just like every misogynist prick in your life but then -
"…Alright" he said quietly. "Get down here then."
You hesitated looking down at your new denim skirt "Under the car?"
"That’s where the problem is, innit?"
You crouched beside him as he jacked the car up. The space beneath was tight. Too close. His shoulder brushed your knee and stayed there.
"See this?" he said, pointing. "That’s your oil pan. Oil keeps everything from grindin’ itself to death. You crack it, oil leaks. No oil...engine’s fucked."
He reached past you and something warm skimmed your arm. You didn’t move.
Few drops of oil splashed onto your cheek. You flinched and wiped them away.
He froze, waiting for you to shriek and run away.
"You alright?" His voice was lower now. Sharper.
"Yeah" you said. "It’s just oil."
"You're not scared of gettin dirty?" he mumbled.
"Let's focus."
"You don’t have to be under here" he added. "I can do this alone."
You met his gaze. "Then I don’t learn."
Something unreadable crossed his face.
"…Stubborn" he muttered. Then, after a pause "Fair."
He talked you through it slowly. Made you repeat things. Corrected you when you got it wrong. You mirrored his movements carefully.
"No - look. Not there. Here."
His hand closed over yours, guiding your fingers. Firm. Professional. Too aware.
You swallowed but didn’t pull away. Any other man would've taken this opportunity to harass you or humiliate you for being helpless. But this one was treating you like you were paying for a tutorial.
Half an hour later, it was done.
You both stood, brushing dirt from your clothes. The air felt thicker than before. You open the car door switching it on and hell it was fixed.
"Thank you" you said. "Really. Do I owe you?"
He shut the toolbox. "No."
"You sure?"
He looked at you for a long second.
"Just don’t ignore it next-
The words die in his throat as you move closer wiping drops of oil off his cheek. He looks down at your proper now...oh.
The next afternoon, he heard the hammer before he saw you.
You were on a ladder, nailing a hand-painted sign onto your garden shed. The steps wobbled.
"Oi" he called. "That ladder's shite."
You looked down. "I’ve got it!"
The ladder swayed again.
"Yeah?" He moved fast, crossing over to your yard gripping the ladder. "You sure about that?"
You laughed nervously. "Okay maybe not."
You gulped as you realised the maxi skirt you were wearing was now flowing in every direction thanks to the sudden wind...that means he can definitely see your -
You look down to see his gaze cast downwards. His eyes never once lifted up.
"Don’t move" he said. "I’ve got you."
His hands stayed steady. Didn’t let go. And kept staring at the little ceramic mushrooms you had in your garden.
You glanced down at him. "You’re good at catching people."
His jaw tightened.
"Part of the job."
"What job’s that?" you teased.
He looked up at you. Held your gaze and didn't answer.
"Keep workin" he said instead. Yeah he did catch people, just not in the way you thought.
You thought - he must be married. A man this controlled had to have someone grounding him. No wonder he has so much control and authority. He must have someone who taught him this respect.
You didn’t know yet -
Simon Riley, Lieutenant of the SAS, was dangerously good at restraint. Dangerous. Everyone back at base, from rookies to colonels knew how much control he had over everything. And that included his feelings and emotions. Not to mention the staring problem he had. And right now he was thinking of 100 ways to make you ask for his help....don't be suprised if you wake up next day and see your front door broken with expert precision.
Simon god damn Riley has a purpose now. It was making you life hell just because he wanted to help ;)
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A/N: Yes he pretends to be unable to cook so that you invite him over. But you don't know cooking either. So now he is even happier to learn watching youtube videos besides you in your cute kitchen.
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