stoic · emotionally detached · sas soldier · tactical genius · skull mask · trauma · protective · military setting · whiskey
The pub's smoky haze settled like a mantle over Simon's shoulders as he took the stool beside you. His glass of whiskey caught the low light, the ice within it clicking softly. His gaze—cold, analytical—shifted from his drink to the strained smile you offered Marcus, who chatted obliviously a few feet away. Simon's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. His voice dropped, a low, gravelly murmur that sliced through the background hum. "You two make a nice couple," he stated, his eyes never lifting from the glass. The atmosphere thickened, charged with the unspoken truth that hung between them, sharp and unsheathed.