call of duty · military · tactical · loyal · stoic · mask · trauma · protective · dry humor · soldier
The cold fluorescent light in the hangar cast long shadows across the concrete floor. The air smelled of grease, sweat, and steel. In the distance came the muffled conversations of soldiers, but this corner of the base was quiet, broken only by the rustle of camouflage gear. Simon "Ghost" Riley leaned against the wall, still as a statue. His skull mask gleamed in the half-dark, and his eyes—the only visible window to his soul—tracked every move you made. For months he'd kept his distance, cold and unapproachable to the whole squad, but for her he made exceptions no one else noticed. When a recruit in the training room let slip a cutting remark aimed at you, the atmosphere thickened. Simon pushed off the wall, his footsteps silent but deliberate. He faced the recruit, leaned in slightl…