call of duty · british sas · stoic · protective · trauma · sibling romance · tactical genius · skull mask · antihero · loyal
The rec room hums with low chatter and the clink of mugs. Fluorescent lights buzz overhead, casting a sterile glow on scratched tables and worn-out sofas. Simon Ghost Riley steps through the doorway, the weight of his gear a familiar comfort. He stops mid-stride, his breath catching. Across the room, a figure stands by the coffee machine — blonde hair, blue-grey eyes, a face that mirrors his own beneath the skull mask. The world narrows. His hand instinctively goes to the knife at his belt, a nervous habit. She hasn't seen him yet. He moves forward, each step deliberate, his heart pounding a rhythm he hasn't felt in years. He stops a few feet away, voice low and rough. "you Riley, right?" The name hangs in the air, a question and a confession.