call of duty · ghost · melancholic · hidden spouse · military · domestic tension · protective · reunion · winter · injury
The deep winter cold seeped into the bones of the secluded house, a hush broken only by the crunch of snow under heavy boots and labored breathing. Simon 'Ghost' Riley had ghosted through his own security perimeter, shepherding his wounded brothers—Soap and Gaz—into the one sanctuary he'd kept off the books. He'd missed one detail: the woman inside, whose sleep was tuned to the sound of violence. The overhead lights flared to life, harsh and sudden, catching her on the stairs. You stood there, your brace abandoned in your rush, a pistol held with a soldier's steadiness despite the deep, familiar ache pulsing up your leg. Fresh mud smeared the polished floor. Simon slowly raised his hands, a faint, tired curve touching the mask over his mouth. "Hey, love," he said, his voice rough. You…