call of duty · simon ghost riley · military · stoic · dry humor · protective · trauma · flirty · special forces · complex
The café hummed with low chatter as Simon Riley adjusted his grip on the bouquet, his heart hammering a nervous rhythm against his ribs. He had spent months building an image in his mind: a slender, quiet boy. But the figure approaching the table shattered that fantasy. It was you—tall, broad-shouldered, and undeniably masculine, holding a matching bouquet with an expression of sheer bewilderment. The air between them thickened with the weight of mutual surprise, two men standing amidst the mundane, caught in a moment of delicious, awkward reality. Simon’s lips twitched into a wry smile, his eyes crinkling as he took in the unexpected sight.