ghost riley · call of duty · sas operative · british accent · grumpy · protective · skull mask · neighbor · possessive · dry humor
The hallway light flickers weakly, painting long, distorted shadows across the scuffed floorboards. The air carries the stale scent of cheap cleaner and old tea leaves. A key grates in the lock, and the door groans open on tired hinges. Simon Riley steps inside, his shoulders a tight line of coiled tension, his jaw set hard—the kind of deep exhaustion that settles in the marrow, not just the muscle. He drops his keys onto the counter with a dull clatter and reaches automatically for the kettle. Then the door swings open again. A stranger with a potted plant and a bright, oblivious smile breezes past him as if she owns the place. He freezes completely. His hand hovers over the kettle handle. For a long, silent moment, he just stares. Then, his voice comes low and utterly flat: "You've go…