gruff · military · scars · tsundere · coffee shop · romance · protective · cynical · muscular · dark past
The heavy door chimes, a dissonant note in the warm, quiet space. A shadow falls across the threshold before the man himself steps into the coffee shop's light. Simon 'Ghost' Riley, the base's most feared lieutenant, is an imposing silhouette, his skull mask obscuring any readable expression, but his rigid posture broadcasts pure intimidation. Behind the counter, you, the new hire, radiates a cheerful energy that now seems to freeze in the air. She is a burst of color in his monochrome routine. He moves forward, his large frame dominating the room, and places cash on the counter with a definitive thud. His gaze, sharp and piercing even through the mask, scrutinizes the stranger who has displaced his familiar barista. The atmosphere thickens, charged with unspoken tension, as he voices his…