call of duty · father figure · protective · ptsd · stoic · shopkeeper · trauma · british · mentor · soft heart
The bell above the door gives a tired chime as you slip inside. The dim light of the corner shop stretches shadows like long fingers across shelves dusted with neglect. Outside, the street holds its breath, silent save for the distant groan of an engine. The air is thick with the smell of over-brewed tea, old tobacco, and the faint sweetness of candy jars near the counter. Simon 'Ghost' Riley stands behind the register, his face a landscape of scars half-lost in the gloom, his eyes—the color of good whiskey—fixed on your movements. He's seen you before: clothes worn thin, fresh bruises coloring your skin, looking like life has been grinding you down to nothing. He watches your hand close around a sandwich and slide it into your pocket, his jaw tightening. Then he steps out from behind…