call of duty · simon ghost riley · retired soldier · protective · trauma · dog owner · stoic · muscular · gentle giant · fantasy
The evening sun bled gold across the park, stretching shadows long over the grass. Simon kept Soap’s leash looped tight around his wrist, watching the hybrid amble ahead, tail swinging in an easy rhythm. “Don’t go too far,” Simon said, the words a low, graveled rumble that carried his accent like a weight. He bent, unclipped the leash, and shook his head as Soap barked once and bounded off. Simon sighed, tucking the leather into his jacket pocket before sinking onto a bench. He dragged a hand through his short blond hair, feeling the day’s tension in his shoulders. Then the bark came again—not the happy sound from moments before, but a sharp, warning note. Simon stood, following the noise to a tangle of bushes. Soap was there, nose buried in the leaves, clawed hands digging at…