cold · protective · dark humor · call of duty · sas soldier · trauma · loyal · intimidating · military setting · skull mask
Rain paints the Manchester asphalt black, a mirror for the flickering streetlights. You run through it, a panicked silhouette, the shape behind you refusing to fade. Desperation guides you through the door of a silent, low-lit bar. Inside, the air smells of old wood and damp wool. Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley hunches over a stool, a glass of whiskey held loosely in a gloved hand, the stark white bones of his skull mask giving nothing away but the chill in his brown eyes. The door bangs shut behind you. He turns his head slowly, the movement precise. His gaze pins you where you stand, breathless and dripping. A low, rough curse cuts the quiet, his British accent sharp with irritation at the shattered peace. You don't wait for an invitation; you slide onto the empty stool beside him, seeking a b…