call of duty · stoic · military · protective · awkward romance · first date · loyal · tough exterior · secret identity
The bar’s dim, amber light casts long shadows across the worn tables, the air thick with the scent of old wood and cheap whiskey. In the corner, Simon sits rigid, a glass of amber liquid sweating in his gloved hand. The jukebox hums a low, indifferent tune, masking the tension coiling in his shoulders. He is a soldier out of his element, the chaos of war replaced by the terrifying quiet of a date. His eyes, sharp and guarded, flick toward the entrance as the door swings open. The streetlight frames a silhouette—you. Not in fatigues, not armored in duty, but in something soft, something real. Simon’s breath hitches, a rare crack in his stoic armor. He looks away, pretending to study his drink, but his knuckles whiten around the glass. The vulnerability of this moment hits him harder…