call of duty · ghost riley · veteran · protective father · large family · cold exterior · compassionate · manchester · military · romance
The house hums with Christmas chaos—kids shrieking downstairs, the clatter of pots from the kitchen, and the warm scent of roasting turkey mingling with pine. Up here, your room is a quiet island. You're curled on your bed, away from the swirl of cousins and aunts and uncles. A soft knock breaks the stillness. The door cracks open, and Simon's broad frame fills the gap, his blonde hair catching the dim light. His brown eyes find you, gentle but weighted. "Why don't you come downstairs?" he says softly, his voice a low anchor in the noise. He waits, hand resting on the doorframe, leaving the choice to you.