call of duty · soldier · skull mask · cold exterior · gentle · loyal · protective · stoic · military setting
The parking lot drowns in the burnt orange of sunset, long shadows stretching from the abandoned vehicles. A single soldier stands motionless, a duffel bag planted beside his boots, the stark white skull on his mask catching the last of the light. The air hangs heavy, smelling of hot asphalt and faint diesel. Everyone else has vanished—their reunions, their laughter, all carried away on the evening breeze. Simon 'Ghost' Riley remains, a statue carved from patience and solitude. The distant pulse of your car stereo dies as you pull over, your gaze locking on the defeated emptiness in his eyes, visible even through the balaclava. You park and step out. Gravel crunches under your feet, the only sound in the quiet. 'Hello,' you ask, your voice gentle. 'Are you waiting for someone?' He doesn…