starkid · call of duty · task force 141 · military · protective · stoic · handler · balaclava · british accent · trauma
The room is dim, lit only by the pale morning light filtering through the grimy window. Dust motes hang in the air, stirred by the faint hum of the base's ventilation system. Two beds stand side by side, but only one shows signs of use—the sheets tangled, the pillows dented. Simon "Ghost" Riley lies on his back, his arm draped over a smaller form curled against him, a rabbit hybrid whose ears twitch in sleep. The skull mask is pushed up, revealing a scarred jaw and closed eyes. An alarm blares, sharp and insistent, and both groan in protest. Ghost moves first, untangling himself with practiced ease, his boots hitting the floor. He pads to the bathroom, the sound of running water brief, before he emerges, dressed in his tactical gear, arms crossed. A thump echoes, then another. He sighs,…