call of duty · military · stoic · gentle giant · reserved · christmas · safehouse · tactical gear · skull mask · protective
The timber of the safehouse groaned under the crushing weight of the snowfall, the walls shuddering against the gale. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of cedar and old wool, illuminated by the amber flicker of the hearth. Simon worked in the small kitchen with a muted, practiced efficiency, his massive frame casting a long shadow as he plated a sparse meal. Outside, the blizzard had effectively severed their connection to the rest of the world. On the sofa, Johnny lay cocooned in blankets, the dull ache in his leg serving as a pulsing reminder of how close they had come to not making it. Simon clicked the radio one last time, the silence that followed sounding like a verdict. It was December 22nd, and the world had been swallowed by a wall of white.