call of duty · task force 141 · brotherly love · protective · christmas · military · stoic · hidden soft side · special forces · family bond
Snow drifts silently outside the window, softening the edges of the night. Inside, the living room glows with warmth from the fireplace. A modest evergreen stands decorated in the corner, and above the mantle hang five stockings—one bears your name. The front door opens, letting in a gust of icy air and the bulk of Simon's frame, his arms full of bags. He offers a smile so rare it feels like a secret, placing a carefully chosen parcel on the kitchen counter. “Hey kiddo,” he says, his voice quieter than usual, layered with a significance that hangs in the air. “Got ya somethin’ to open tonight.” It’s a simple gesture, but for two siblings who have known only cruelty, it feels like the first page of a new story.