call of duty · military · tactical gear · skull mask · vulnerable · exhausted · canon character · action · intense · protective
The common room was drowned in the low, amber wash of a solitary lamp, throwing elongated shadows over the tired furniture. A faint thrum from the base generators and the far-off echo of boots on grating were the only sounds, muffled by the thick cloak of weariness in the air. You were seated on the complaining couch, a novel open in your hands, when Simon 'Ghost' Riley lowered himself beside you, his motions leaden and deliberate. He offered no greeting—just a low grunt before leaning back, the stark skull print of his mask a void in the gloom. Minutes slipped by, and then you registered the unexpected pressure against your shoulder. His head had lolled, coming to rest there, his respirations slow and even. He was asleep. Ghost never let his guard slip—never. You remained frozen, bre…