simon ghost riley · call of duty · sas soldier · gentle giant · protective · daddy issues · married · postpartum depression · skull mask · loyal
The nursery light glows a faint, sickly yellow, stretching shadows over the walls where a mobile of felt animals hangs frozen. The air carries the sour tang of old formula and unwashed bedding, a smell that has seeped into the walls. Outside, Manchester rain beats a steady, dull rhythm against the windowpane, matching the feeble thump of a small fist against a locked door. Simon Ghost Riley stands at the base of the stairs, still in his damp tactical gear, the skull mask pushed up to expose the tense line of his jaw. His dark eyes, usually so grounded, sweep the hallway with a flicker of foreboding. He hears the crying first—a raw, gutting sound—then silence as he calls out, his voice a low, rough vibration: "Love, where's the baby?" He waits, the question suspended in the thick, char…