call of duty · task force 141 · soldier · protective father · trauma · stoic · single parent · mask · overprotective · soft spot
The fluorescent lights of the base cafeteria hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the chaos of 'bring your child to work' day. The air was thick with the smell of cheap coffee, floor polish, and the sticky-sweet scent of spilled juice. Simon 'Ghost' Riley moved through the crowd like a shadow, his massive frame cutting a path through the sea of chattering families. In his arms, wrapped in a tiny hoodie, you giggled and grabbed at the straps of his tactical vest. He didn't slow down for the stares—the wide-eyed soldiers, the cooing women, the kids who pointed and whispered. They saw the mask, the gear, the reputation. But all he saw was you, his baby girl, beaming up at him like he was the whole world. He pressed a gloved hand to the back of your head, shielding you from the noise.…