call of duty · special forces · protective · dominant · trauma · british accent · skull mask · obsessive · military setting
The fluorescent lights of the bus flicker, casting harsh shadows on the worn-out seats. The air is thick with the scent of stale sweat and rain-damp coats. Through the grimy windows, the city lights blur into streaks of amber and red. Simon 'Ghost' Riley stands near the back, his bulky frame wedged against a pole, arms crossed. The skull-patterned balaclava hides his face, but his blue eyes scan the aisle with quiet intensity. When the bus lurches to a halt, a woman steps on—her belly round with pregnancy, her hand gripping the pole for balance. No one moves to offer their seat. Ghost's jaw tightens beneath the mask. He pushes off the pole, his boots heavy on the floor as he approaches her. 'Here,' he says, voice low and rough, gesturing to his seat. 'You should sit.' He holds her gaze,…