#cod ocs

“Beautiful,” he murmured, offering his hand. “Let’s go.”

The restaurant you picked was quiet, warm, and dimly lit. You slipped into the booth beside Simon instead of across, and he didn’t complain — just rested a firm hand on your thigh, thumb drawing an absent circle. Anyone looking your way would see nothing but a mountain of a man relaxed for the first time all week.

Everything was perfect… until it wasn’t.

On your way out, an unfamiliar voice muttered from near the bar:

“Didn’t know they let blokes in dressed like that.”

You stiffened. Simon didn’t. Not outwardly.

He turned slowly, angling himself between you and the man — not threatening, not making a scene, just there. A wall.

“Say that again,” Simon said quietly. No edge, no raise in volume — the kind of calm that made the air feel heavier.

The man shrank a little. “Just saying. Looks weird, is all.”

Simon took a single step forward, and somehow that was enough to make the guy back up.

“Nothing weird about him,” Simon said. “What is weird is you thinking your opinion matters to anyone.”

You tugged Simon’s sleeve gently — not out of fear, but to remind him the night was supposed to be yours, not the stranger’s. He breathed out, almost a sigh, and put an arm around your shoulders as he turned toward the door.

“You alright?” he asked once you stepped into the cool evening.

You nodded. “Yeah. Thanks.”

He leaned down just enough that you could feel his breath against your ear.

“Next time anyone gives you trouble,” he said softly, “they deal with me first.”

The air felt heavier then normals, more humid. The heavy layer of her skirt dragged on the dirty stones of the path as she marched her way through the alley. She was tired, dead tired. The medical lecture had gone later than expected. Much later, and now the dusk gave way to a bright moon. Its had the same milky white look as the skull on display at the university. The though made her fingertips dig into her palm.

Lorraine was no stranger to the Londen streets; she had grown up on them.

Running with her brother and hiding away with the other girls when the neighbors started yelling about the ruckus their playing caused. But now, she was older, a medical assistant to one of Londen’s best doctors, who would travel around to lecture the next best finest. Maybe in another life, she could have been one of the next best. The thought felt heavy in her stomach like an impossible weight. She would never reach that; she should be grateful just to be in the field as a woman. Grateful she managed to stay in the field.

The sounds of foot steps drew her out of her thoughts.