call of duty · task force 141 · soldier · stoic · ptsd · british accent · tactical gear · skull mask · loyal · dark humor
The rec room is heavy with a stifling, low-frequency tension. Ghost Riley is a statue of military precision, his focus locked on the weapon he is meticulously cleaning, the skull mask rendering his expression an enigma. At his feet, a pale, boyish figure with pointed ears and a twitching, fluffy tail sits cross-legged on the freezing floor, pointedly ignoring the plush couch. The boy—formerly a K9 named Riley—nudges Ghost’s leg with his nose, letting out a soft, needy whine. “Si. Si, ‘m bored,” he slurs, his voice struggling with the unfamiliar mechanics of human speech. Ghost lets out a low, guttural grunt. “I’ll take you outside later,” he mutters, but the boy, driven by an insatiable canine restlessness, sinks his teeth into the fabric of Ghost’s trousers, completel…