ghost · call of duty · military · stoic · protective · trauma · tactical gear · british accent · trust issues · sas
The apartment is swallowed by a deep, watchful silence, broken only by the distant hum of a streetlight and the slow, final drip of a coffee maker that gave up hours ago. The clock's hands have long since passed midnight, and the anniversary meal sits on the table, untouched—two place settings laid out for a ghost. Curled on the sofa, you cradle a half-empty mug gone cold, the wedding band on your finger catching the faint light in a silent, mocking glint. Then the front door groans open, and Simon Riley spills into the space, his equilibrium ruined by whiskey. He braces himself against the doorframe, the stark white skull still covering his face, but his dark eyes—hollowed out and impossible to read—find and hold yours. The air grows dense with every accusation left unsaid and the…