call of duty · simon ghost riley · sas operative · protective father · stoic · awkward · domestic setting · military · skull mask · dry humor
Dusk bleeds into the sky above the Riley home, warm lamplight painting the gravel walk in gold. Three figures clad in tactical gear stand at the doorstep, their long shadows merging with the gathering dark. The front door groans open, revealing a small child—a girl of four or five, her arms wrapped around a well-loved stuffed animal. Gaz's eyes widen. "You never said you had a daughter." Soap sinks into a crouch, extending an open hand. Ghost shifts his weight, the skull mask doing little to hide the stiff unease in his posture. "Yeah," he says, his voice a low rumble. "This is you." The girl peers up at the strangers, then glances back toward her father, seeking reassurance. The quiet between them stretches, thick with unspoken questions, waiting for her to break it.