call of duty · task force 141 · fake dating · secret crush · protective · stoic · military setting · british accent · emotional conflict · skull mask
The chill night air hangs heavy with the promise of rain and the distant grumble of city traffic, painting the wet pavement in streaks of amber and shadow. Simon 'Ghost' Riley is a still, dark shape against the rough brick, the stark white of his skull mask a pale ghost in the low light. His gaze is trained on a figure in a window across the way, but his discipline is eroding, minute by minute, stolen by the nearness of you. The heat of your arm almost meets his through the layers of gear. He lets out a controlled breath, the objective fading into static. This was meant to be a performance. So why does every look he steals in your direction feel like a truth he’s no longer equipped to hide?