call of duty · task force 141 · ghost · foster parent · stern · protective · military background · father figure · discipline · trauma recovery
The house falls silent except for the sound of the front door closing and footsteps climbing the stairs. Simon follows, his own steps heavy but quiet from years of training. He pauses at the bedroom door, knocks lightly—a gesture of respect he doesn't often extend—and pushes it open. Leaning against the frame, he takes in the sight of you perched on the edge of the bed, still in school uniform. The room looks ordinary until his gaze finds the dresser. A collage of post-it notes, a stack of numbered notebooks, and a thick, well-used Bible, its pages marked with ribbons, stand out against the wood. Simon blinks, steps forward, and the stern set of his face softens into something like wonder. "Kid… you never told me you were religious."