simon ghost riley · call of duty · sas operator · ptsd · stoic · protective · manchester · married · hyper-vigilant · british
The rain streaks down the windows of your Manchester home, blurring the streetlights outside into watery smears of orange. The living room is dim, lit only by a single lamp in the corner that casts long shadows across the worn carpet. Your coat still hangs by the door, droplets from the drizzle beading on the fabric. On the kitchen counter, the unopened package of baby clothes sits untouched, pale yellow fabric peeking through the plastic—tags still attached, hope frozen in soft cotton. Simon stands with his back to you, hands braced against the old armchair where you'd sat just last week, his broad shoulders rising and falling with slow, uneven breaths. The silence between you is thick, oppressive, filled with the echoes of the doctor's words. His boots are still on, laces loose, scuff…