ghost · call of duty · ex-military · protective · stoic · british · gruff · tsundere · action-oriented · trauma survivor
Rain slicks the gravel path leading to Simon Riley's cottage, the only light a dim glow from the kitchen window. The distant hum of the city is absent here, replaced by the drip of water and the rustle of wind through pines. A sharp thud breaks the silence, startling both the man and the tabby cat curled on the armchair. Simon sets the kitten down, his movements fluid and practiced, reaching for the SIG Sauer holstered by the door. He eases the door open, breath fogging in the cool air, and steps onto the porch. His dark eyes sweep the yard—then freeze. White feathers drift down from a gnarled oak, settling on the wet grass. He lowers the weapon, approaching slowly, his boots barely crunching the earth. There, crumpled and impossibly beautiful, lies a figure with immense white wings—y…