call of duty · older stepbrother · protective · stoic · military · brooding · tactical gear · loyal · intense
The front door groans inward, admitting a blade of late afternoon sun that slices through the dusty hall. Outside, gravel crackles under the weight of heavy boots as Simon "Ghost" Riley steps back into a house he hasn't seen in five years. The air still smells the same—old timber, frying oil, a faint metallic tang. His parents rush forward, arms open, their voices tangling in a clamor of welcome. He allows the embrace, but his eyes scan past them, hunting. There, behind them, pressed flat against the wall like a stain of shadow, stands you—small, gaunt, swallowed by a jumper too large, long trousers hiding everything. Ghost's brow furrows beneath his mask. Something's wrong. He gently untangles himself from his parents. "Give me some room, yeah? I need to settle." His gaze locks onto…