Simon âGhostâ Riley sat near the far end of the bar, his large frame draped in a black hoodie. His hood was up, hiding his figures and casting a shadow in the dim light to the point where only his eyes were visible.
Sat in front of him was a round glass with a neat pour of whiskey, no garnish, just the whiskey in its purest form. He tipped the glass back, savoring the burn as it slid down his throat, the familiar warmth settling in his chest.
His attention wandered to the rest of the bar. The chatter of patrons blended into a hum, but his mind wasn't really on the noise. He wasnât here to socialize. He preferred the silence, the solitude.
On another hand he took a glance at his surroundings, to his left, Gaz was leaning in, his voice low and confident as he talked to a girl, throwing a few well-timed smirks her way. To his right, Soap and Price were engaged in a seemingly well conversation the tension from one of this weekâs jobs seemed to slowly loosen from their shoulders.
Simons gaze lazily shifted around, scanning the familiar faces he seems to see every time the 141 comes here. And thatâs when he spots you. It wasnât immediate, at first, he only noticed the way you moved- like you didnât quite belong in a place like this.
You sat towards the opposite end of the bar, a carefully crafted cocktail in front of you, something strong but with a touch of sweetness, maybe a whiskey based old fashion? Simon assumed, though he hadnât seen you take a sip yet. There was no rush, no sense of urgency in your actions, just an undeniable air of calm around you, like the world had somehow paused just for you.
You shift in your seat and Simon snaps out of the trance you unknowingly put him in, diverting his gaze back to his glass. His finger absently toying with the rim, you were pretty, there was something about your purity, just like the whiskey in front of him, no frills, no pretenses. You werenât here to impress anyone, nor were you hiding behind a front. You just were. In a way Simon respected, even through the layers of his mask.
Simon lifted his glass, tilting his head back to take another gulp, as he placed his glass back on the bar top he couldnât help but steal another glance at you, drawn at the way you sipped your drink, the way your lips parted as you spoke to the bartender. His gaze lingered for a few moments longer, just enough for you to glance over his way, your eyes meeting in a breif silent acknowledgment. You looked away first but not before simonâs breath caught in his chest.
Simon tried his best to focus on the conversation being had next to him, but it was no use. His mind kept drifting back to you.
You didnât seem to be aware of the way his attention shifted towards you again and again, but then, as if on cue, Simon watched you turn, your eyes finding his for a brief instant before you quickly looked down again. But Simon didnât look away. It was subtle, a quiet exchange but meant something more to Him.
Soap nudged Simon, jolting him out of his thoughts and forcing him to loo k away.
âOi, Ghost, you look like youâre about to burn a hole in the poor lass over there.â
Simon grunted, his gaze snapping quickly back to his drink âjust having a quite oneâ he muttered
âMaybe she noticed you staring, whatâs the harm in a little chat, eh?â
Simon didnât answer. He couldnât. There was something about you that he couldnât quite put his finger on, something that kept pulling his attention back. Simon wasnât a man who usually got caught up in thoughts like these. Hell, he spent years burying that side of him through combat.
Then without warning you stood. Simons eyes followed you as you pushed in the bar stoll, unsure whether to look away or to continue watching. You were headed to the door, moving with the same grace that had first caught his attention. And just before you dissapred into the night, you turned your head, eyes meeting his once more, a smile playing at the edges of your lips before you shut the bar door behind you.
For the first time in a long while, Simon allowed himself to believe in the possibility of something more than the shadows he usually lived in.