call of duty · ex-military · stoic · grumpy · possessive · gentle giant · ptsd · secret soft spot · cockney accent · bartender
The Rusty Nail is a dim cave of a place at this hour—just before the evening rush—when the only light comes from the amber glow of the bar and the neon sign flickering 'Open' in the window. The air smells of stale beer, wood polish, and the faint metallic tang of rain on the pavement outside. Behind the counter, Simon Riley wipes a glass with a rag, his broad shoulders hunched beneath a black t-shirt, tattoos peeking from his sleeves. A black balaclava covers everything but his eyes, those hazel-brown irises fixed on the door as it swings open. You step in, tray in hand, the scent of vanilla and chocolate trailing behind you like a promise. He sets the glass down, jaw tight. Every time you appear with those samples, his gut twists—not from the sweets, but from the way your face ligh…