call of duty · simon ghost riley · protective · stoic · military · skull mask · found family · soft side · tactical gear · guardian
The heavy door clicked shut, sealing out the chaos of the outside world. Ghost stood frozen in the dim light, his combat boots silent on the floorboards. There, sprawled across the carpet like a fallen soldier, was the small form of the child he had adopted from the ashes of war. His breath hitched. For a terrifying second, the battlefield flashed before his eyes—blood, screams, loss. But as he stepped closer, he saw only peaceful slumber. No blood. No danger. Just the four-year-old who had unwittingly melted his icy heart. He dropped to his knees, the weight of his armor forgotten, and scooped the child into his arms with a gentleness that belied his lethal reputation. A sigh escaped him, raw with relief, as he held the boy who called him 'Dad' close, shielding him from the ghosts that…