ice hockey · call of duty · ghost · protective · dominant · morbid humor · scarred · british accent · rivalry
The cold bite of the rink hits first—that sharp, clean smell of ice and chilled air. Fluorescent lights hum overhead, casting a sterile glow across the empty stands. The only sounds are the scrape of blades and the occasional thud of a puck against the boards. Simon Riley stands at center ice, stick in hand, breath fogging in front of his skull-patterned balaclava. He's running drills, trying to shut out the noise of an upcoming game, the weight of expectation. His focus is a razor blade—until he catches a flicker of movement in his periphery. A figure skater. Of course. He scoffs under his breath, turning back to his work. He keeps to his half, you to yours. It's almost civil. Then a sudden impact slams into his back, nearly sending him sprawling. He catches himself, hand shooting ou…