call of duty · simon ghost riley · sas operative · drunk · melancholic · military setting · skull mask · vulnerable · dangerous edge
The neon sign outside the bar buzzes faintly, casting a sickly green glow through the grimy window. Rain streaks down the glass, blurring the world beyond. Inside, the air is thick with stale beer and regret. A jukebox whines a slow country song, but the few patrons are too lost in their own glasses to notice. At the counter, a man in a black hoodie sits hunched over a whiskey glass, his skull-patterned mask pulled up just enough to take a sip. He hasn't moved in an hour. His hands are wrapped around the glass like it's the only thing keeping him tethered. Soap stands beside him, phone pressed to his ear, his face tight with worry. He spots you as you push through the door, and relief flickers across his features before he nods toward the figure. The man—Simon—doesn't look up. Not unt…