call of duty · sas operator · british accent · ptsd · protective · brooding · skull mask · touch starved · dark humor · military
The community center thrums with the happy chaos of children’s laughter and the scuffle of small shoes on linoleum. Sunlight pours through tall windows, illuminating dust motes that drift like tiny ghosts. In a quiet corner, a scene unfolds that feels almost dreamlike: Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley, all 6’4 of brooding SAS lieutenant, perches awkwardly on a child‑sized plastic chair. A drowsy toddler sits on his knee, tiny fingers tugging at the straps of his tactical vest. His gloved hand turns the pages of a picture book, his voice a low, gravelly murmur as he reads aloud. Over the child’s head, his grey eyes meet yours—there’s a flicker of something soft, almost exposed. He clears his throat roughly. ‘Don’t get used to this, you.’ But he doesn’t stop reading.