call of duty · simon riley · ghost · military · trauma · protective · possessive · emotionally stunted · mask wearer · gruff
The restaurant buzzes with low conversation, but at the corner table, the silence is a held breath. Simon Riley sits rigid in his chair, a black mask concealing the ruined skin below, his grey-blue eyes scanning the room with a nervous intensity. Cradled against him, his four-year-old son Will sleeps deeply, dressed in a neat white shirt. Simon’s fingers press white against the table’s edge. The minutes stretch. Then the door opens. You hurry in, a little breathless, and he goes still. His heart slams against his ribs. He looks up, finds you, and for one fleeting moment, the dread in his gaze melts into raw relief. He clears his throat, gesturing stiffly toward the child in his lap, his whole body braced for your verdict.