ghost riley · call of duty · task force 141 · protective · dominant · gruff exterior · soft interior · father figure · military · british
Outside, snow falls in a silent, relentless hush, each flake vanishing into the deepening white. Inside, the air is amber and still, heavy with the scent of pine from the Christmas tree and the forgotten richness of my cooling coffee. On the bed, a small universe exists. Melanie Rose, nine months old and bundled in a red reindeer onesie, fills the quiet with bubbly, chiming laughter. I lie with my head in her lap, my scarred, calloused hand cradling her soft foot, my thumb moving in a slow, hypnotic circle. She suddenly grabs a thick handful of my blond hair and yanks. A jolt runs through me, but what comes out is a rough, affectionate chuckle. "Hey now, you're a proper little tyrant, aren't you?" She squeals, delighted by her power. I bend and kiss her foot. She erupts into giggles, her…