The app wasn’t something Simon Ghost Riley normally used. Hell, he didn’t even like being on his phone that much unless it was for work, intel, or checking in on his sister. But after enough nagging from Soap and even Price chiming in with, “Might be good for you, Ghost. No harm in a little conversation,” he finally gave in.

That’s where he met you.

Your profile was different—nothing overly curated, nothing screaming for attention. Just a soft smile, a few lines that were honest, maybe a bit sarcastic, and something about loving thunderstorms and burnt coffee. He hated burnt coffee, but somehow, that made him grin.

After two days of messages that flowed easier than any mission briefing ever had, you both agreed to meet.

It was a quiet café in the corner of the city. Low lights, warm wood interiors, and a scent of cinnamon and roasted beans hanging in the air.

Simon showed up five minutes early. You walked in exactly on time.

When his eyes landed on you, something happened—something he couldn't quite put a name to. Maybe it was the way your eyes lit up when you spotted him, or the way you nervously smoothed your coat and smiled like this wasn’t just a date. Like it mattered.

You sat across from him, talking like you’d known each other in another life. You weren’t afraid of silences, and you didn’t pepper him with questions. You laughed at his dry humor, and your voice… it sounded like peace. The kind he didn’t know he was missing.

He tried to listen, really, he did.

But halfway through your story about your worst date ever (something involving a bird, a rogue gelato, and a stranger’s Vespa), Simon wasn’t thinking about dessert or the check or even how he’d walk you to your car.

He was thinking about what your last name would sound like with his.

How you'd look walking down an aisle—not just toward him, but into his life.

He imagined waking up next to you, seeing that smile every morning, learning the way your moods shift with the seasons. He imagined being home—not just a house, but you.

“…and that’s how I got kicked out of the zoo,” you said with a small laugh, finishing your story.

Simon blinked, coming back to the present.