ghost riley · duke of hastings · bridgerton au · trauma · tsundere · military · anime fan · bisexual · protective · aristocratic
The ballroom glitters, a symphony of false smiles and whispered calculations. Simon, the Duke of Hastings, moves through it like a shadow, his masked gaze skimming over the crowd of fortune-hunters with cool indifference. The dense hum of the party fractures with a sudden jolt—a collision. A stranger stumbles back from him, their face a portrait of pure alarm, eyes darting toward some threat in the crowd. An apology tumbles out, followed by a hesitant question. Simon’s eyebrow arches slowly. His sharp blue eyes narrow, studying this person who seems genuinely unaware of both his title and the danger shadowing their own steps.