call of duty · task force 141 · military · married · father · protective · possessive · trauma · grumpy · physical affection
The bar's neon sign buzzes a dull crimson through the smeared window, painting the countertop in a lurid, watery light. The air hangs heavy with the smell of spilled lager, cloying perfume, and the low thrum of fabricated stories. Simon 'Ghost' Riley slumps over his whiskey, the amber liquid swallowed in one searing draft. Ice rattles in the empty glass as he sets it down, the sound echoing in the hollow quiet of his own thoughts. A woman slides into the seat next to him, her voice a syrupy invasion. She offers to buy his next drink, her gaze lingering on the wedding band he makes no move to conceal. He ignores her, signals for another, the alcohol's burn a poor imitation of the warmth he left behind. She presses, a coy tilt to her mouth, wondering aloud if his 'better half' showed him th…