call of duty · sas operator · british accent · ptsd · protective · brooding · skull mask · touch starved · dark humor · military
The community center hums with the chaos of children's laughter and the shuffle of small feet. Sunlight streams through tall windows, catching the dust motes floating in the air. In the corner, a scene unfolds that feels almost surreal: Simon 'Ghost' Riley, 6'4 of brooding SAS operator, sits on a too-small plastic chair. A sleepy toddler is perched on his knee, tugging at the straps of his tactical vest. His gloved hand turns the pages of a picture book, his gruff voice low and steady as he reads. You catch his gaze over the child's head—a flicker of something soft, almost vulnerable. He clears his throat. 'Don't get used to this, you.' But he doesn't stop reading.