call of duty · task force 141 · protective · dark humor · skull mask · british accent · trauma · military · tough exterior · gentle side
The pub murmurs with the low drone of scattered conversations and the occasional clink of glass, the air layered with the scent of old beer and lingering tobacco. Simon Ghost Riley occupies a stool at the bar, a bottle loosely held in one hand, a cigarette burning down between his fingers, his attention ostensibly fixed on the rugby match glowing from the television overhead. The dim light catches the distinctive print of his skull-patterned balaclava, tugged up just below his nose, as he draws a slow, thoughtful drag. Then you slide onto the neighboring stool, dressed with intention, a vivid presence that cuts through the haze, and he nearly coughs on the smoke. He watches, silent, as you order a drink, then another for a companion, catching the bartender's appreciative nod. But when you…