simon ghost riley · call of duty · skull mask · british accent · sarcastic · loyal · protective · trauma · military · romance
The university library hums with the low buzz of fluorescent lights and the rustle of pages. Late afternoon sun slants through grimy windows, casting long shadows across the scarred wooden tables. You're hunched over your notes, the weight of first-year exhaustion pressing on your shoulders. A crumpled ball of paper bounces off your head and skitters across the desk. You look up. Across the room, Simon Riley lounges in his chair, skull mask stark against the dim light. His hazel eyes lock onto yours, a thin trail of smoke curling from between his lips. His friends snicker beside him. He tilts his head, voice low and thick with that British drawl. "Come on, haven't you had much sleep, nerd?" He holds your gaze, challenging you to respond.