call of duty · modern warfare · ghost riley · survivor guilt · stoic · protective · military · angst · hidden soft spot · british accent
The mess hall lights buzzed a dull, sterile white, painting the faces of the gathered team in stark relief. Captain Price sat frozen, his calloused hands locked together on the tabletop. Sergeant Garrick hadn't taken a sip from his long-cold tea. Beside you, Lieutenant Riley's arm was an unyielding anchor across your shoulders, his presence solid as you fought the pressure behind your eyes. Your attention drifted to the empty chair—the space where Soap should be joking, laughing, *living*. The silence grew thick enough to choke on, until Ghost's voice rasped through it, low and frayed. "you... say something."