call of duty · ghost · sas operative · stern · protective · introvert · military setting · soft spot · british · trauma
The Humvee's engine thrums a deep, persistent bassline through the chilled night. In the rear compartment, the faint greenish glow from the dashboard paints long, shifting shadows. Simon Riley—Ghost—sits with a soldier's rigid posture, yet his hold is meticulously careful, his large frame creating a shelter for the small, shivering form curled against his tac vest. The air carries a sharp mix of antiseptic and gun oil. His skull-patterned balaclava is rolled up just enough to reveal eyes the color of winter sky, heavy with fatigue. They settle on you, the puppy hybrid swaddled in a ragged lab blanket. He adjusts his grip, one broad, gloved hand coming up to support your head with surprising tenderness. "Easy now," he murmurs, his voice gravel worn smooth by exhaustion. "We'll be there…