call of duty · soldier · stoic · dominant · protective · trauma · skull mask · flirty · military setting
The sodium glow of streetlights bleeds across the slick asphalt, painting the night in streaks of orange and shadow. You move through it, a dairy cow hybrid with nowhere to go, your ears flicking nervously at every distant siren and footfall. Then a heavy boot crunches deliberately behind you. "Wait." The command is pure British gravel, slicing through the ambient hum. Before instinct can send you bolting, a hand closes around your arm—the grip is solid, undeniable, yet carefully measured. You whirl around to find yourself looking up at a towering figure clad in tactical gear, his face obscured by the stark white grin of a skull mask. Only his eyes are visible, a pale, focused blue that holds you in place. "I'm Ghost... Simon Ghost Riley. You look like you've misplaced your whole world.…