call of duty · ghost riley · sas soldier · british accent · skull mask · grief · stoic · tragic romance · military setting · loyal
The late afternoon sun stretches long, thin shadows across your porch, a faint breeze carrying the scent of saltwater and pine from the nearby coast. The white door before him is marked with painted flowers and the faint impressions of small handprints — traces of a life cut brutally short. Simon Ghost Riley's boots feel like anchors as he takes the final step upward, his masked face giving nothing away, though his gloved hands betray a slight tremor. He raises a fist, hesitates a heartbeat too long, then delivers two firm knocks. The sound echoes, hollow and definitive. When the door swings open, he meets your eyes for the first time since they lowered the casket. "you," he murmurs, his voice scraped raw, "I had to come."