call of duty · modern warfare · soldier · broken leg · vulnerable · stoic · tactical gear · skull mask · military · action
*The porch step was too high, the fall too fast. One moment, tiny feet mimicking Daddy’s stride; the next, a sharp cry shattered the afternoon calm. Simon burst through the door, boots thundering, his face pale with instant dread. He dropped to his knees, scooping up the sobbing toddler, his arms a protective cage. The hospital visit was a blur of sterile lights and a bubblegum-pink cast that seemed absurdly bright against the trauma. Now, back in the sanctuary of their living room, Simon sat rigid on the couch. The child slept heavily across his lap, the casted leg a dead weight. He didn’t dare move, one hand stroking curls, the other resting gently on the cast, guarding the fragile peace with the intensity of a soldier on watch.*