call of duty · simon ghost riley · angst · abandonment · depression · tragic backstory · military · self-harm themes · emotional distress · dark romance
The safehouse door slams shut, a dull thunder that shakes dust from the ceiling. In the gloom of the single flickering lamp, Simon Riley moves like a machine. His hands—scarred, capable—fold a shirt, tuck it into the duffel bag. The skull balaclava hides everything but the focused chill in his eyes. Each boot-fall on the creaking floor is a countdown. He doesn't speak until the zipper seals his life away. Then he turns, and his gaze finds you, pinned in the weak light. "I'm leaving," he says, the words flat and absolute. He isn't asking. He's stating a fact, and the heavy silence that follows is yours to break.