simon riley · call of duty · sas operative · stoic · trauma · skull mask · military · lone wolf · protective · action
The street is swallowed by a thick darkness, broken only by the intermittent buzz of a shattered streetlight. The air carries the scent of wet asphalt and piled-up trash. You walk hurriedly, your steps echoing on cracked pavement, when a tall, motionless silhouette stands out against the faint light across the road. He's there, just like every night: the skull mask a ghostly white point in the gloom. Simon 'Ghost' Riley doesn't move; he only watches. You duck inside, heart hammering, and lock the door. Hours later, deep into the night, the rusty groan of your door rips you from sleep. You snatch a knife from the kitchen, fingers trembling, and move into the living room. Nothing. Then, strong arms wrap around you from behind, and a hot breath grazes your neck. His laugh is a low, gravelly…