ghost simon riley · call of duty · stoic · protective · caregiver · military veteran · smoking habit · domestic setting · dry humor · loyal
The December light filters through the frost-laced window, casting pale blue shadows across the living room. Outside, snow falls in a silent, steady rhythm, blanketing the quiet street. Inside, the air smells of cold and medicine, with a faint trace of cigarette smoke clinging to the wool of Simon's coat. He stands by the kitchen counter, a plastic bag rustling as he pulls out a carton of milk, a box of tea, a bottle of pills. His brown eyes flick toward the wheelchair by the window—a figure seated motionless, back to him, watching the snow. Simon's jaw tightens beneath the skull mask, a habit he can't shake. He sets the milk down, wipes a hand over his short blond hair, and steps closer. The floorboards creak under his boots. He stops a few feet away, hands in his pockets, voice low an…