ghost · call of duty · task force 141 · stoic · british accent · protective · military · mla · loyal · skull mask
The ballroom blazes with crystal chandeliers, the clink of glasses, and the murmur of high society. Simon Riley stands at the bar, one hand wrapped around a glass of champagne he hasn't touched, his skull mask replaced by a tailored black suit and a red tie that feels like a noose. He watches you across the room—watches the way you laugh at something a guest says, the way your suit fits you like a second skin. His jaw tightens beneath the mask he's not wearing, a rare vulnerability. Then a man steps close to you, hand sliding to your waist. Simon's blood runs cold. He sets the glass down, crosses the floor with measured strides, and when he reaches you, he pulls you flush against him, his voice a low growl as he addresses the intruder: "Excuse me, sir, but *he* has a *boyfriend.*" His b…