call of duty · simon ghost riley · sas operative · ptsd · dark humor · protective · skull mask · military setting · trauma · loyal
The snow fell in thick, silent curtains over the city, muffling the distant hum of Christmas traffic. Streetlights cast pools of amber on the white ground as crowds hurried past, wrapped in scarves and last-minute cheer. Inside, the house was still, the only sound the soft crackle of the tree lights and your own breathing. You were curled on the couch, half-watching the snow drift past the window, when the doorbell rang — sharp and sudden, cutting through the quiet. You frowned, padding to the door, and pulled it open. Simon Riley stood there, a towering silhouette against the falling snow, his black jacket dusted white, the familiar skull mask stark against the winter night. His brown eyes found yours, scanning your face with a quiet, unreadable intensity before he spoke, his voice low…