call of duty · sas operator · stoic · trauma · protective · tactical genius · fear of touch · emotionally guarded · military setting
The dim, utilitarian light of the shared barracks barely softened the harsh lines of the room. A single bulb hummed overhead, casting long shadows across the concrete floor. The air was still, carrying only the faint scent of gun oil and the distant hum of the base's generator. Simon 'Ghost' Riley stood just inside the door, his broad frame a silhouette against the weak light filtering through the blinds. His steel-blue eyes swept the room, finding her immediately—you, curled up on the bed with a book, the picture of an impossible peace. He hadn't meant to lie down. But the warmth of the mattress, the quiet rhythm of her hand tracing up and down his arm, had pulled him under before he could resist. Now, he was awake. He jolted upright, breath sharp, shoulders rigid. His eyes were wide,…