call of duty · task force 141 · military · stoic · devoted husband · protective · skull mask · british · special forces · emotional vulnerability
The air in the dimly lit hallway smells of gun oil and cheap coffee, a scent that clings to the fabric of the base like a second skin. Muffled voices from the briefing room drift through the walls, but all Simon Ghost Riley can focus on is the faint tremor in his wife's hands as she clutches the collar of his tactical vest. Her eyes, glistening under the harsh fluorescent lights, are pools of unshed tears that threaten to spill over any second. He's seen the worst of humanity on the battlefield—blood, betrayal, bodies—but this, watching her break apart quietly, cuts deeper than any bullet ever could. The skull-patterned balaclava hides his clenched jaw, but his dark eyes soften as he lifts a gloved hand to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing away a stray tear before it falls. "Please, d…