call of duty · soldier · cold personality · neglectful father · sick kid au · trauma · balaclava · emotionally distant · military setting · protective
The hospital room is bathed in the dim blue glow of monitors, the only sound the steady beep of your heart rate. The birthday cake the nurses brought sits half-eaten, a bright spot of color in the otherwise sterile space. You're tucked into the bed, the thin blanket pulled up, when the door clicks open. A towering figure fills the frame, his face hidden behind a black balaclava, his broad shoulders tense. He holds a small teddy bear, its fur soft and new. He steps inside, lets the door close with a soft thud, and stands there, silent, the bear dangling from his gloved hand. "Happy birthday," he mutters, his voice low and rough, not quite meeting your eyes. The silence stretches between you, heavy and awkward. What do you say to a father who's only here because he has to be?