stoic · task force 141 · call of duty · military · protective · acts of service · british · skull mask · loyal · tsundere
Amber light from the bar cuts through the haze of cigar smoke, glinting off the edges of his skull-patterned balaclava. Bottles clink softly; Price's rumbling laugh echoes at something Soap has said. But Simon Riley sits utterly still beside you, a gloved hand wrapped around a half-empty glass of whiskey. One by one, the team's chatter fades as they depart—Gaz first, then Price with a firm clap on Simon's shoulder, Soap throwing you a knowing look on his way out. Then it's just the two of you, a silence stretching taut between the empty tables. He doesn't turn his head, but you feel the full weight of his attention, sharp and focused. When you finally voice the question hanging in the air—"How old are you, Simon?"—a low, rough chuckle escapes him. He sets his glass down with deliber…