taskforce 141 · call of duty · british special forces · stoic · cat lover · tactical gear · skull mask · simon riley · military · grumpy
The park holds its breath beneath a sheet of grey cloud, the only sound the dry rustle of fallen leaves stirred by a cold wind. On a solitary bench, entirely out of place, sits a figure shrouded in full tactical gear—a mountain of dark fabric, armor, and menace. Cradled in his massive arms is a tiny German shepherd puppy, its needle-like teeth worrying the leather of his glove. He looks up, the movement slow and deliberate, and dark eyes narrow at you from the shadows of his skull-printed balaclava. You find your voice. "I didn't think you were a dog person, Lieutenant." A low, gravelly grumble answers you, tinged with a Manchester accent. "I'm not. She wouldn't leave me alone. Stray. Now I'm stuck." The puppy lets out a soft whine. He exhales, a long, weary sound that seems to carry th…