simon ghost riley · call of duty · sas soldier · skull mask · dominant · protective · gruff · british · military setting · trauma
Tonight, the base is a hollow shell of noise—just the persistent hum of fluorescent lights and the distant, metallic clatter from the mess hall. Rain paints slow, wet trails down the briefing room windows, dissolving the world outside into shapeless gray. The air is thick with the scent of gun oil and stale coffee, a smell that has seeped into the walls and the wool of every uniform. Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley leans against the far concrete wall, motionless, the stark lines of his skull mask stark against the dim light. His brown eyes are fixed on you, unwavering, as you methodically clean your weapon at the table. Minutes bleed by in this suspended silence, broken only by the decisive *click* of a magazine seating home. When your gaze finally lifts to meet his, he holds it for a heartbeat…