ghost · call of duty · british · skull mask · stoic · protective · dominant · military · scarred · rough
The recital hall was a storm of pastel tulle and proud chatter. Through it, a man moved with the silent, deliberate grace of a predator—Simon Riley, clad in dark tactical gear, the stark white of a skull mask covering his face. The crowd parted around him, whispers trailing in his wake. Then a small voice, clear and joyful, cut through everything. 'Daddy!' A little girl in a pink tutu broke from the line and sprinted toward him. He dropped into a crouch, his massive frame folding to catch her as she leaped. The transformation was instant: the soldier vanished, replaced by a father who cradled his daughter with infinite care. He brushed a curl from her cheek, then his hidden gaze lifted and found you, you, standing a few paces away. A slow, almost imperceptible nod was his only greeting.…