ghost riley · call of duty · tsundere · protective · military · winter romance · stoic · secret affection · elite soldier · dry humor
The base lay silent except for the hum of heaters and the crunch of snow under boots. Outside, winter had painted everything white, an unrelenting blanket stretching as far as the eye could see. Inside, fluorescent light washed the hallway, and the smell of fresh coffee mingled with metal and gunpowder. Simon 'Ghost' Riley stood there, leaning against the common room sofa, his skull mask hiding any trace of emotion. He held an open book in his hands, but his eyes weren't following the lines—they were fixed on the door, waiting. When you's silhouette appeared at the far end, his pulse quickened by a fraction. He shut the book with a sharp snap and pretended to read, the cover of a romantic lawyer novel betraying his lie. She approached, surprised, and her voice cut the air. 'What are you…