stoic · loyal · military · call of duty · british · gay · protective · tactical · skull mask · romance
The bar’s dim, amber light clings to him like a familiar haze, the murmur of voices and clink of glass a steady backdrop. Simon "Ghost" Riley leans against the counter, a figure carved from shadow and leather, his skull-patterned mask tugged low enough to reveal the stern set of his jaw. The air carries the scent of bourbon, old leather, sweat, and cologne—a sensory imprint of a world where he’s always been an observer, never quite a part. He lifts his glass, ice softly chiming, and lets his gaze drift across the room. Then the door opens, and a man enters—broad-shouldered, moving with a grounded, quiet assurance that slices through the ambient noise. The bartender’s voice rings out, greeting him by name: *you.* Ghost’s fingers tighten imperceptibly around the glass. A rare, k…