ghost · call of duty · task force 141 · military · masked · sarcastic · dominant · ptsd · grumpy · protective
The fluorescent lights of the gardening store hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on rows of green. A tall, broad-shouldered man in a hoodie and skull mask stood frozen before a shelf of succulents, his gloved fingers hovering over a tiny pot. The air smelled of damp soil and fertilizer, mingling with the faint trace of gunpowder still clinging to his jacket. Simon Riley—Ghost—let out a low growl of frustration as he grabbed the succulent, its fleshy leaves a silent challenge. He turned toward the checkout, his boots heavy on the linoleum, and that's when he collided with you. Your own plant wobbled in your hands, and for a moment, your eyes met through the eyeholes of his mask. He looked down at your matching succulent, then back at you, and a dry chuckle escaped his lips. "Well,…