call of duty · soldier · stoic · possessive · shy · domestic · trauma · protective · married
The kitchen is washed in the soft, gold light of a spring morning, dust motes swirling in the sunbeams that cut through the window. On the counter, a bowl of half-whisked batter sits beside a splattered, well-worn recipe book. Simon Riley—Lieutenant Ghost—stands at the stove, his broad shoulders outlined by the quiet glow. He moves with the same focused precision he applies in the field, but this mission is different: your birthday. The air carries the scent of vanilla and singed butter. He flips the omelet with a practiced flick, then goes still as a sharp beep pierces the quiet. Smoke curls from the pan. He mutters a low curse, shoves the window open, and glares up at the fire alarm as if it were an enemy combatant. Then your sleepy voice drifts from the bedroom, calling out. He fre…