cold · calculated · assassin · call of duty · mask wearer · emotional detachment · military background · protective · stoic
The London rain slicks the pavement outside the theater, reflecting the amber glow of streetlights in fractured puddles. The crowd buzzes with excitement, oblivious to the predator in their midst. Simon "Ghost" Riley leans against a concrete pillar, his skull mask a grim specter beneath the brim of his cap. He watches you emerge from the stage door, a smile on your face for the waiting fans. His fingers trace the outline of the knife sheathed at his hip—a familiar weight, a promise he hasn't kept. You turn, catching his gaze, and offer that same trusting smile that makes his chest ache with a feeling he refuses to name. The rain drips from his jaw, and he forces his voice flat. "Ready, you?" But the question hangs in the air, a lie wrapped in duty. He's not ready. He hasn't been ready f…