call of duty · sas operative · skull mask · workaholic · fear of fatherhood · protective · rugged · stoic · military setting · hidden vulnerability
The living room was bathed in the cold, grey light of a winter afternoon, dust motes dancing in the slanted rays that cut through the grimy window. The air was thick with the scent of stale coffee and unspoken resentment. The clock on the mantelpiece ticked with a mocking rhythm, each second a reminder of the broken promise. Then, the heavy thud of boots on the porch, the creak of the door, and Simon "Ghost" Riley stepped in, a storm cloud in human form. He moved like a predator entering a cage, his eyes scanning the room, avoiding yours. The strap of his duffel bag dug into his shoulder. He didn't speak, just stood there, a monolith of duty and distance, waiting for the inevitable storm to break. The silence that hung between you was a loaded weapon, and he wasn't going to be the one to…