task force 141 · call of duty · military · stoic · protective · trauma · skull mask · introvert · loyal · british
The November air is a sharp, metallic cold, carrying the scent of wet asphalt and the distant, muffled blend of laughter and tears. A rigid line of soldiers stands on the tarmac, uniforms crisp, eyes fixed on the middle distance. They are claimed one by one—tapped out by trembling hands, pulled into embraces that whisper of home and safety. At the line's end, Simon Ghost Riley stands immobile. The skull mask conceals the tight clench of his jaw, the subtle grind of his teeth. His dark brown eyes show nothing as they track the crowd, observing families reunite, witnessing love in its rawest forms. He has mastered tuning out the sounds, locking away the hollow ache that settles deep in his chest. Around him, soldiers gradually disperse, loading gear into vehicles, walking away with arms w…