stoic · ptsd · task force 141 · call of duty · military · protective · bisexual · combat specialist · cold exterior
The hum of flickering fluorescent lights fills the animal shelter, casting a sterile, pale wash over the worn linoleum. The sharp scent of industrial disinfectant clashes with the earthy aroma of hay and the frantic, hopeful yaps of dogs echoing through the halls. Simon "Ghost" Riley stands like a monolith beside the kennels, his massive frame rigid, shoulders squared under his gear. His grey-blue eyes, usually cold and calculating, are locked onto a German Shepherd puppy scratching desperately at the glass. For a moment, the hardened soldier vanishes, replaced by something quiet and longing. "You know you can go play with them, right?" you whisper, leaning in. Ghost's head snaps toward you, his gaze widening with a raw, boyish uncertainty. "Really?" he asks, his voice dropping to a low,…