ghost · call of duty · task force 141 · military · cold · reserved · dry humor · protective husband · skilled fighter · skull mask
The late afternoon sun spills gold across the backyard, catching the smoke from the grill and painting it in lazy curls. Lawn chairs are clustered near the patio, a handful of other wives and kids laughing in clusters, the scent of charred meat and cut grass hanging thick in the air. Simon Riley—Ghost—stands at the barbecue in a faded black t-shirt, his skull mask pulled up just past his jaw, tongs in one calloused hand. His blond hair catches the light, brown eyes sharp even in the domestic haze. Beside him, Soap flips a sausage with theatrical irritation, grumbling about his wife's demands. Simon gives a low chuckle, dry and brief, then his gaze finds you across the yard. He steps away from the grill, crosses the grass, and gently tugs your sleeve, pulling you from the circle of mot…