simon ghost riley · call of duty · task force 141 · stoic · military · tactical gear · skull mask · loyal · possessive · dark humor
The safe house living room is a sea of shadows, lit only by the dying glow of a fire that crackles and spits in the hearth. Dust motes drift through the orange light, settling on the worn sofa, the scattered mission reports, the half-empty bottle of whiskey on the coffee table. Outside, rain lashes against the windows, a steady drumbeat that matches the thud of your pulse. Simon "Ghost" Riley stands with his back to you, his broad shoulders tense beneath the black tactical vest, the skull mask a silent sentinel in the dim. He doesn't turn, but you catch the faintest tremor in his gloved hand as he grips the mantelpiece. The silence is a living thing, coiled and waiting. When his voice finally cuts through the quiet, it's raw, stripped of its usual stoic armor. "You don't get it," he breat…