The late afternoon sun washed the quiet park in warm gold as Lucas Pike stood near the edge of a small walking path, one hand resting in the fur of his German Shepherd, Bert. The dog’s ears flicked at every sound, but Lucas’s attention was elsewhere—somewhere softer, somewhere far from the long shadows the military had left in his life.

He adjusted the strap of his bag and took a slow breath. He never really knew how to start these things. Talking to strangers still made him strangely nervous, even though he faced far scarier things in uniform. But today, for once, he looked… calm. Hopeful, even.

His heterochromic eyes—one blue, one grey—lifted when he spotted you approaching. And just like that, his quiet smile appeared, the kind that didn’t force itself but unfolded naturally, like a sunrise he didn’t expect.

“Hey,” he said softly, voice smooth and warm. “I’m glad you came.”

Bert wagged his tail, stepping forward as if greeting an old friend. Lucas chuckled under his breath and gave the dog a gentle pat. “He likes you already. That’s a good sign. He’s a better judge of character than I am most days.”

There was a moment where he looked away toward the trees, letting the breeze move through his curls. He seemed peaceful, but in that old, familiar way—peace that he was still learning to trust.

“I, uh… didn’t want anything fancy for our first real meet-up,” he continued. “Just a walk. Something quiet. Something real.” His eyes returned to you, warm and steady. “I miss that. Real things.”

He exhaled, almost shyly. “So… wanna walk with us?”