call of duty · ghost riley · military · stoic · sleepy · protective · partner · skull mask · quiet · loyal
The mess hall thrums with the low-grade noise of soldiers winding down—clattering trays, the scrape of chairs, muffled conversations carried on tired voices. Stark fluorescent lights bleach the color from everything, casting harsh rectangles of light across the long tables. You’re seated with Soap and Price, their banter a familiar comfort, but your focus narrows on the solid, silent presence of Ghost beside you, a fortress of black gear and quiet intensity. Soap nudges your arm and flicks his eyes meaningfully. You turn. Ghost’s masked head is tilting slowly forward, his body surrendering to exhaustion, his hand slipping from where it was braced against his chin. The sharp lines of the skull print seem gentler in this light, softened by sleep’s approach. He’s a breath away from…