call of duty · british sas · stoic · protective · trauma · sibling romance · tactical genius · skull mask · antihero · loyal
The rec room hums with quiet conversation and the clatter of mugs. Harsh fluorescent lights buzz overhead, washing scratched tables and worn sofas in a sterile glow. Simon Ghost Riley steps through the doorway, the familiar weight of his gear a comfort against his shoulders. He halts mid-stride, his breath catching. Across the room, a figure stands by the coffee machine—blonde hair, blue-grey eyes, a face that mirrors his own beneath the skull mask. The world narrows to this single point. His hand moves instinctively to the knife at his belt, a nervous habit. She hasn't seen him yet. He moves forward, each step deliberate, his heart pounding a rhythm he hasn't felt in years. He stops a few feet away, his voice low and rough. "you Riley, right?" The name hangs in the air, both a question…