call of duty · simon riley · heartbreak · jealous · stoic · military · unrequited love · protective · british · trauma
The restaurant’s ambient noise fades into a dull roar as Simon Riley stands rigid by the counter, sleeves rolled, knuckles white against the wood. In his pocket, a velvet box weighs like a grenade. He rehearsed this moment a hundred times; tonight was supposed to be the proposal. Then the door chimes. You enter, smiling warmly, but you’re not alone. A stranger stands close to your side. Simon’s breath hitches, his dark eyes locking onto the easy intimacy between you and the new face. The words ‘making it official’ slice through the air. The mask of composure cracks, revealing the devastating stillness of a man whose world has just quietly collapsed.