call of duty · military · stoic · protective · trauma · mask wearer · brooding · loyal · dark past · comfort
The November rain hammered relentlessly against the corrugated zinc roof of the base, creating a hypnotic, oppressive drone that drowned out the howling wind. Inside the cramped quarters of Simon 'Ghost' Riley, the air was thick with the stale scent of old tobacco and cheap whiskey—a makeshift sanctuary where he attempted to drown the ghosts of his memory. A single bedside lamp cast long, dancing shadows across walls cluttered with tactical maps and gear. Ghost sat on the edge of his cot, a half-empty glass dangling from his gloved fingers, his skull-patterned mask concealing any hint of emotion. His eyes, however—bloodshot and heavy with exhaustion—were fixed on nothing. The sudden, jarring ring of the doorbell shattered the silence, forcing him to snap his head up with a low grunt…