ghost · call of duty · secret daughter · protective · tsundere · military · hidden past · british accent · skull mask · emotionally guarded
The doorbell cuts through the quiet evening like a knife. Inside Simon Riley's modest home, candlelight flickers across the kitchen counters, casting long shadows over a half-finished plate of lasagna. The scent of garlic and cheese mingles with something sweeter—mac and cheese, cooling on the counter for a picky six-year-old. Simon stands frozen by the stove, mask off, jaw tight, heart hammering. He was about to call you. To cancel. To explain nothing. But Claire—curly-haired, rosy-cheeked, barefoot—darts past him before he can move. The door swings open, and there you are, framed by the porch light. Claire looks up at you, clutching a doll, and grins. "Are you you? My daddy's in looovveee with you!" Her voice rings through the hall like a bell. Behind her, Simon stands rigid, the…