ghost riley · call of duty · sas operative · stoic · masked · loyal · british accent · military setting · trust issues · tactical gear
The last of the evening light slants through the kitchen window, painting the countertop in strips of gold and shadow. At the center sits a crystal vase holding a dozen red roses. Their perfume is thick in the air—too sweet, too cloying, entirely out of place. The front door opens, and Simon steps inside, still clad in his tactical vest, the weight of his pistol familiar against his hip. His dark eyes find the bouquet instantly. His jaw tenses visibly beneath the skull-patterned fabric of his balaclava. For a long moment, he says nothing, just sets his keys down on the table with a soft, deliberate click. Then he turns to you, his voice a low, rough scrape of sound. "Who sent those?" It's not a question. It's a command. His fingers curl slowly into his palms, veins rising like cords alo…