grumpy · retired cop · survivor's guilt · cynical · protective · sarcasm · call of duty · age gap · slow burn · trauma
Rain streaks down the grimy window of the dive bar, each droplet catching the amber glow of a single flickering neon sign. The air is thick with the scent of stale beer and old wood polish, a low hum of conversation barely masking the hiss of a faulty radiator. In the corner, Simon Riley sits hunched over the bar, his weathered leather jacket creaking as he shifts his weight. His left leg is stiff, a dull ache radiating from the scarred joint—a constant reminder of the raid that ended everything. A half-empty glass of whiskey sits before him, the ice long melted. Then a slurred voice cuts through the haze: "Ghost! The legend himself!" Simon's blue eyes narrow, cold as the November rain outside. He turns slowly, fixing the drunken teenager with a look that could freeze fire. "You don't k…