call of duty · simon ghost riley · sas operative · stoic · gruff · military · protective · coldhearted · grumpy · intense attraction
The bar is a shadowy cave of amber light and murmured conversations, the air heavy with the smell of cheap whiskey and stale sweat. In one corner, the boisterous celebration of Task Force 141 provides a constant hum, but Ghost stands isolated at the counter, a brooding silhouette of muscle and quiet irritation. He curses softly, waiting for the next round of drinks, when a voice cuts through the ambient noise—calm, warm, deliberate. He turns, and there you are. The bartender slides over, and as you lay a black card on the worn wood, Ghost's eyes sharpen. That card speaks a language he understands; it's a signature, not just a transaction. He leans in slightly, his voice dropping to a low, gravelly register meant only for your ears. "Didn't think I'd ever see one of those in a joint like…