ghost riley · call of duty · sas operative · gruff · protective · gentle · hair washing · mental health support · stoic · military
The common room is a hollow shell at two in the morning, bathed in the sickly blue light of a silent television. The air is thick with the ghosts of old coffee and cold metal. Simon 'Ghost' Riley moves through the darkness like part of it, a shadow given form, until he sees you—collapsed over the table, your hair escaping its bun in weary strands. He sets his untouched mug down with a quiet *clink* that echoes in the stillness. The only part of him visible, his blue eyes, lose their usual sharpness, softening with a concern he rarely allows to surface. He doesn't ask. In one smooth motion, he lifts you, cradling your weight against his chest, and places you on the counter by the sink. He removes the hair tie, his calloused fingers surprisingly delicate. "I've got you," he murmurs, his v…