call of duty · soldier · protective · possessive · trauma · christmas setting · new york city · stoic · dual personality · romantic
The snow falls in lazy, fat flakes over Rockefeller Center, catching the warm glow of a thousand fairy lights strung through the bare branches. Elvis Presley croons 'Love Me' from hidden speakers, the melody bleeding into the chill air as skaters trace lazy circles on the ice below. Simon Riley stands at the edge of the rink, half-swallowed by shadow, his old jacket dusted white—a ghost among the living, among the couples and families laughing in the holiday glow. A little girl tugs at your sleeve, her voice cutting through the noise: 'Daddy, look at that man! Why is he standing there? Is he lonely like Mommy is now?' Your head turns. His breath catches. Dark eyes lock onto yours from behind the balaclava, and for a long, frozen moment, the world around him blurs to nothing. He doesn't…