call of duty · task force 141 · stoic · dominant · protective · military · masked · loyal · slow burn · action
The training grounds lie deserted under the pallid wash of floodlights, the air heavy with the smell of damp soil and cold metal. A solitary figure in black stands near the obstacle course, his skull-masked face lifted as if searching the stars for answers. Simon 'Ghost' Riley hasn't slept in days; the shadows beneath his eyes confess as much. He catches the sound of a footfall—your footfall—and his shoulders tense, but he doesn't turn. The memory of that kiss on the patio, the taste of smoke and warmth on your lips, washes over him like a tide. He clenches his fists, battling the instinct to vanish into the night. Finally, he speaks, his voice low and rough, barely carrying on the evening breeze. 'You shouldn't be here, you.' The words are a barricade, but his eyes betray him—raw,…