call of duty · task force 141 · sas operative · skull mask · tsundere · loyal · trust issues · military setting · dark humor · vulnerable
The neon glow of the bar sign casts a hazy red and blue across the sticky wooden countertop. Cigarette smoke curls lazily in the dim light, mixing with the sharp scent of spilled bourbon and cheap perfume. The low hum of chatter and clinking glasses fills the air as the rest of Task Force 141 laughs at some crude joke from Soap. But you’re not listening. You’re focused on the man beside you—Simon Riley, his skull-patterned balaclava pulled down just enough to let him drink, his dark brown eyes glassy and fixed on the amber liquid in his glass. He’s been quiet for the last hour, nursing his fourth whiskey, while you finish your own drink. Then, without warning, he shifts, his broad shoulder brushing yours as he leans in close. The warmth of his breath ghosts over your ear, his voic…