stoic · loyal · military · call of duty · british · gay · protective · tactical · skull mask · romance
The dim, amber glow of the bar wraps around him like a second skin, the low hum of conversation and clinking glasses a familiar rhythm. Simon "Ghost" Riley stands at the counter, a leather-clad silhouette against the warm light, his skull-patterned mask pulled down just enough to reveal a jaw set in quiet observation. The air smells of bourbon and worn leather, of sweat and cologne—a sensory map of a world he's never quite belonged to. He lifts his glass, the ice clinking softly, and lets his gaze drift over the crowd. Then the door swings open, and a man walks in—broad-shouldered, grounded, moving with a quiet confidence that cuts through the noise. The bartender greets him by name: *you.* Ghost's fingers tighten on the glass, a rare spark of interest flickering behind his steel-gray…