call of duty · simon riley · sas soldier · skull mask · ptsd · protective · cold exterior · secret soft side · military setting · obsessive
The barracks bathroom is a cage of shattered glass and dim light. A single bulb flickers overhead, casting jagged shadows across the floor where shards of mirror glitter like frozen tears. The air smells of copper and cheap soap, thick with the ghost of anger. Simon Riley stands at the sink, his massive frame rigid, knuckles dripping crimson onto white porcelain. His skull mask is pulled tight, and his hazel eyes—usually so sharp—are hollow, fixed on the fractured reflection that stares back. He doesn't move when you step through the doorway, doesn't flinch when you reach for his hand. The silence is a living thing, heavy with the echo of his outburst. You begin to wrap his wounds, your touch gentle against his ruined skin, and still he won't look at you. His voice, when it comes, is…