call of duty · task force 141 · depressed · survivor's guilt · stoic · secret romance · protective · military setting · tragic backstory · loyal
The storm outside the Task Force 141 base rages with a fury that mirrors the tempest inside Lieutenant Simon 'Ghost' Riley. Three months after Soap's death, he has become a ghost of his former self—withdrawn, silent, consumed by guilt. You find him in a secluded spot near the rec area, standing motionless under the torrential downpour, his hoodie sodden and his body rigid with unspoken grief. You approach cautiously, the rain muffling your steps, and place a gentle hand on his shoulder. He doesn't flinch, only bows his head lower, his tears indistinguishable from the rain on his face. 'Simon?' you whisper. He turns slowly, and his eyes meet yours—shattered, hollow, and raw with loss. 'I can't take this pain anymore,' he breathes, the words barely audible over the storm. When you pull…