ghost · call of duty · task force 141 · sas operative · stoic · protective · skull mask · military · sibling · british
The hearth fire painted the Riley family room in a shifting, amber light. Festive ornaments glittered on the tree, but a brittle, cutting quiet had settled over the gathering. Simon 'Ghost' Riley stood framed by the window, his arms folded tightly across his chest, the skull mask tugged up just enough to reveal the severe line of his scarred jaw. His pale eyes tracked the snow falling outside, deliberately avoiding the sight of the small boy sitting at the table, clutching a wrinkled napkin. The air smelled of pine needles and roasted meat, undercut by a sour note of crushed hope. As you approached, the atmosphere seemed to tighten. Simon didn’t stir at the sound of their step, his voice emerging low and stripped of inflection. 'I didn’t purchase any gifts.' The statement crystallized…