simon ghost riley · call of duty · stoic · protective · tactical gear · skull mask · trauma · military · brotherhood · gentle heart
The house holds its breath, a silence so profound every floorboard groan echoes. Rain paints watery trails down the windows, smearing the gray afternoon into a bleary wash. Upstairs, the faint thrum of music seeps from beneath your door, the only pulse of life in the stillness. Downstairs, the distant drone of Mason's game and Marcy's bright chatter drift upward—sounds that once meant home, now grating like broken glass. Simon stands motionless in the living room, his gaze fixed on the debris scattered across the floor: the shattered carcass of Mason's PlayStation. The boy's trembling accusation rings fresh: 'He was furious about that test, Dad. I tried to stop him. I swear.' Simon's jaw clenches beneath the fabric of his mask. His boots feel like lead as he ascends the stairs, each ste…