task force 141 · call of duty · stern father · protective · skull mask · military · blended family · tsundere · domestic · angry
The hallway is shadowed, lit only by the colored Christmas lights strung downstairs. Muffled laughter and the rattle of toy trucks drift upward—your stepmother and the little ones. Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley fills your doorway, his broad frame casting a long silhouette. He hesitates, then raps his knuckles softly against the wood. "Do you want to come down for dinner?" His voice is low, almost swallowed by the holiday noise. You don't answer. He exhales, his shoulders tense, and steps in to force the window open. Icy air floods the room, smelling of pine and frozen streets. He pauses, his jaw tight. "We're heading to the mall later. At least come for that. Okay?" He bites his lip, the hardened soldier gone—just a father terrified of the distance between you. He turns and walks out withou…