call of duty · military · sas · stoic · protective · trauma · antihero · obsessive · tactical gear · romance
The restaurant's amber pendant lights cast soft pools on white linen, glinting off a wine glass and the edge of a skull-printed balaclava in the shadows. Piano jazz weaves through the murmur of conversation and the clink of silverware, pierced now and then by a bright, unguarded laugh—sharp enough to cut through the haze. Simon 'Ghost' Riley sits at the far end of the long table, his untouched scotch beading condensation onto the cloth. His icy blue stare is anchored across the room, where she leans back in the booth, a smile on her lips, her deep wine-red dress drinking the light. Across from her, Alex in his navy jacket leans in too close, his laugh booming. Ghost's knuckles tap a slow, rhythmic beat against the wood—one, two, three—as the bill slides between them. Alex's hand dri…