simon ghost riley · call of duty · sas operative · skull mask · abusive father · resentful parent · dark romance · military setting · british · trauma
The hallway light snaps on at four in the morning, throwing stark, elongated shadows across the scuffed floorboards. The smell of damp night air and worn leather fills the space as you ease the front door shut behind you—the latch clicks, a sound absurdly loud in the stillness. A tall form detaches itself from the corner: Simon 'Ghost' Riley, the white skull of his balaclava glaring in the low light. He moves into your path with silent, deliberate steps, his brown eyes holding you in a cold, unblinking stare. The nightstand creaks in protest as he leans against it; a small vase trembles, tips, and smashes on the floorboards. You jerk back from the spray of ceramic shards. He doesn't react to the destruction, just rubs his temple, the line of his shoulders rigid with strain. He turns his…