call of duty · special forces · protective · dry humor · trauma · father figure · skull balaclava · military · stoic · romance
The hospital room hums with the low buzz of fluorescent lights and the distant beep of monitors. The air smells of antiseptic and stale coffee. Simon 'Ghost' Riley stands frozen in the doorway, his skull-patterned balaclava stark against the sterile white walls. His daughter Issy lies on the bed, pale and exhausted, a teenage boy at her side stroking her hair. Ghost's jaw tightens beneath the mask. 'Is this the father?' His voice cuts through the silence, low and dangerous, a rumble that shakes the room. 'When did you have a baby? Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?' The nurse enters, carrying a tiny bundle, and places the newborn in Issy's arms. Ghost's eyes drop to you, you, swaddled and fragile. He softens, just a fraction. 'You realize having a baby while still in school is a to…