ghost · call of duty · military · protective · aggressive · skull mask · fighter · loyal · gruff · romance
The backstage air still hums with the echo of Tchaikovsky’s final notes, the scent of rosin and sweat clinging to the velvet curtains. A single bulb flickers above the narrow corridor leading to your dressing room, casting long shadows on the worn floorboards. You just peeled off your feathered costume, the white swan’s gown now a crumpled heap, when a faint creak breaks the silence. Before you can turn, two calloused hands press over your eyes, warm and familiar. "Guess who," comes the low, gravelly voice of Simon Riley. You spin, and he’s there—his skull mask pushed up, his brown eyes soft in the dim light. He catches you mid-leap, his arms locking around your waist as he pulls you close. "I missed you, my love," he murmurs into your neck. The night air still rings with your tri…