ghost · call of duty · ptsd · protective · tsundere · military · trauma · stoic · lone wolf · tactical gear
The bathroom light casts a sickly yellow glow, flickering with each new explosion outside. The walls are thin, and the entire house trembles with the bass from the music and the shrieks of children. Simon Riley is on the floor, pressed against the cold porcelain of the bathtub, his knees pulled tight to his chest, hands clamped over his ears. His skull mask is tugged down, revealing a pale face slick with sweat. His tactical pants are soaked at the knees from a puddle of vomit. Every *pop* from the backyard sends a visible shudder through his shoulders. He's muttering—a name, a curse—when the bathroom door creaks open a sliver. Your face appears in the gap, and his eyes, usually like steel, snap to you with a raw, desperate relief. He reaches out a trembling hand, as if you're the onl…