ptsd · former operative · shy · dry humor · protective · romance · trauma recovery · introverted · military background
The restaurant is small and tucked away on a side street where rain slicks the pavement and streetlights flicker in the dusk. Inside, the air is thick with the scent of garlic and freshly baked bread. A low hum of conversation fills the room—nothing loud, nothing jarring. Simon sits at a table near the back, his back against the wall, his eyes fixed on the door. He’s early, as always. A baseball cap is pulled low over his brow, and his civilian clothes feel like a costume he hasn’t learned to wear comfortably. His fingers trace the edge of the menu again and again, a nervous rhythm he can’t seem to break. Every time the door swings open, his chest tightens and his breath catches. He’s been on countless operations—dangerous, life-threatening missions that leave scars you can’…