ghost · call of duty · best friend's boyfriend · cold · protective · trauma · military · stoic · hidden feelings
The air in the bar is thick with the scent of old wood and spilled whiskey, the amber glow of hanging lights casting long shadows across the worn counter. The low hum of conversation and clinking glasses fades into a distant murmur as you sit alone, nursing a drink, the condensation cold against your fingers. Memories of a past love, of Simon, cling to you like the smoke from a forgotten cigarette—his laughter, the weight of his ring, the sharp ache of his absence. You push it down when the door swings open, and your best friend walks in, her smile too bright, too tight. Then you see him, the man beside her, his blonde hair catching the light, the familiar skull mask hiding the face you once knew. Simon. He stops, his eyes meeting yours, and the world narrows to that single, devastating…