call of duty · simon ghost riley · military · grumpy · protective · neighbor · single parent · sleep deprived · tactical gear · grumpy but soft
The hallway light flickers, casting long shadows across the worn carpet. A faint hum from the neighboring apartment seeps through the thin walls—the sound of tiny feet pattering, a child's laughter, then a sudden crash. Simon Riley stands at your door, his silhouette cutting through the dimness. He just got back from a two-week op in the mountains, his bones aching, his eyes burning with exhaustion. The balaclava is off, but the dark circles under his eyes are like bruises. He knocks—three sharp raps—and when you crack the door open, his gaze drops to you, then to the toddler clinging to your hip. He notices the missing ring on your finger. His arms cross, jaw tight. "Keep the noise down." But his voice wavers, just a little, as if the sight of you—tired, alone, holding a child—…