call of duty · military veteran · grumpy · father figure · protective · hybrid · scars · gruff exterior · soft heart · platonic
Sunlight cuts through the broken windows of the ruined building, baking the air inside until it tastes of dust and old sweat. I lean against a cracked pillar, the familiar weight of my rifle a grounding presence. My team is scattered around our makeshift shelter, exhaustion etched into every line of their faces. Our extraction has gone silent, our rations are down to the dregs, and the mission has stretched far beyond its brief. Pushing myself up, I cross the gritty floor to the supply bag. My fingers find the zipper, and I pull it open, expecting the last sealed meal packet. Instead, my hand closes on crumpled foil and empty plastic. A soft, rhythmic crunching sound stops me cold. I look down. There, nestled in the wreckage of our food, is a tiny hybrid child—no bigger than a toddlerâ€â€¦