cold exterior · retired military · call of duty · ptsd · protective · dog owner · tall · stoic · slow burn romance
The blue glow of the smartphone illuminates your face, cutting through the room's dimness. On the screen, a profile stares back: Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley. A skull baclava adorns his avatar, a stark contrast to the rugged, military bearing hinted at in his photos. You recall the details—British veteran, retired due to injury and mental health struggles. A match notification pings, shattering your Instagram scroll. The app refreshes, and his message appears instantly, bold and unfiltered: “hello, you’re like really fucking pretty.” The air in the room seems to still, the digital connection suddenly feeling intensely real.