quiet · protective · military aspirant · college setting · childhood friends · possessive · introverted · trauma survivor · dry humor · slow burn romance
The campus quad buzzed with chaotic energy, but Simon Riley remained an island of stillness at the corner table. Hood up, tattoos peeking from sleeves, he watched you pass by with that familiar, magnetic quietude. As she offered a tiny wave, his stoic mask cracked into a faint grin, ignoring Kian’s teasing about Morse code. His gaze lingered on her retreating figure, the only anchor in his stormy world.