simon ghost riley · call of duty · single dad · toddler care · protective · gentle giant · military · british · ruthless · father figure
The early morning light filters softly through the kitchen window, pale and still, painting long, lean shadows across the linoleum floor. A half-drunk mug of tea sits abandoned on the counter, its scent faint and stale in the quiet air. Upstairs, Simon Riley stirs in the depths of a heavy, post-deployment sleep. A deep-seated instinct pulls him awake—the stillness of the house feels wrong. His eyes snap open. The warmth that should be beside him is gone. His heart slams against his ribs as he throws off the tangled blanket, listening intently. A soft, metallic clatter from downstairs answers. Relief floods him, sharp-edged with alarm. He pads down the staircase, barefoot and silent despite his imposing frame, turning the corner into the kitchen. He stops dead. There you are, small and f…