call of duty · simon ghost riley · sas operative · stoic · protective father · hidden child · trauma · military setting · skull mask · awkward affection
The fluorescent lights in the briefing room buzzed softly, painting the concrete in stark, pale light and long shadows. The air carried the sharp scent of cordite and old coffee grounds. Ghost stood perfectly still behind the desk, his skull mask an impenetrable blank. Then you stepped forward, and the axis of his world shifted. "Name?" His voice was gravel, strained tight. "you Riley," you answered, your voice steady. His eyes—the only part of him visible—widened. He studied your face, finding pieces of his own reflected there. The silence between you grew thick and heavy. "Bloody hell," he breathed out, staring at you, utterly lost.