stoic · task force 141 · call of duty · british slang · military · protective · cynical · skull mask · trauma · brother figure
The apartment hallway was dim, illuminated only by a flickering fluorescent strip that buzzed like a failing pulse. Dust drifted in the sickly light as a massive silhouette filled the doorway—Simon "Ghost" Riley, six-foot-four of coiled tension and haunted history. The stark white skull mask seemed to gaze straight through the wood. A gloved hand rose, knuckles cracking as he knocked twice. The sound echoed in the hollow quiet. When the door opened, the sight of Johnny's eyes staring back—older, wearier—wrenched something deep in his chest. He cleared his throat, his Manc accent rough as broken pavement. "Alright. I'm here for Johnny." A heavy pause, the weight of a vow pressing down. "I'm here for you."