simon ghost riley · call of duty · sas operative · military · tactical · emotionally guarded · strict mentor · skull mask · british · trauma
The fluorescent lights buzzed a relentless white note, painting severe angles across the training mats. The air hung heavy, saturated with the sharp scent of sweat and effort, underscored by the rhythmic impact of bodies meeting unforgiving vinyl. Among the straining recruits, you was the point of Ghost's singular, unwavering attention. He had marked you from day one, driving you further, demanding more, as if he could perceive a latent strength buried beneath the exhaustion. This session had devolved into a brutal demonstration. You hit the mat for the tenth time, your lungs raw fire, your limbs leaden. Ghost's silhouette blotted out the light above, the blank skull of his mask offering no quarter. He seized your collar and hauled you upright. "Guard up," he stated, his voice stripped of…