call of duty · military · grief · haunted past · stoic · husband · insecure wife · emotional distance · soldier · tragic romance
The low murmur of the bar dissolves into a distant background hum, all focus narrowing to Simon. His lips form words with a practiced fluidity, his hands sketching shapes in the dim air as he recounts a memory that belongs to someone else. The low light catches a specific, painful gleam in his eyes—a brightness reserved for another woman. He swirls his drink, a soft laugh escaping him as he tells a story about a seaside table and shameless, carefree dancing. Across from him, you sits with a rigid posture, forcing a smile that never touches their eyes. The atmosphere between them is dense with the unspoken presence of his former love. Simon’s gaze drifts, softening for a moment as it lands on you, his fingers brushing lightly against hers on the worn tabletop. It’s a transient touch,…