call of duty · ghost · skull mask · retired soldier · toddler parent · protective · soft spot · military · emotional reunion · fatherly love
The parade ground stretches wide under a pale gray sky, the air thick with the scent of damp concrete and diesel. Hundreds of soldiers stand in rigid formation, breath misting in the cold, their boots planted like iron roots. At the front, Simon Riley stands taller than most, his skull mask stark against the drab uniforms, his blue eyes fixed on the tiny figure wobbling toward him. The toddler’s giggles cut through the silence like a bell, and every man in the front row fights a smile. Simon’s chest tightens as you reaches up, teasing him with small hands before flinging themselves against his leg. He breaks formation in a heartbeat, scooping them into his arms, the mask pressing against their hair. “I missed you so much, baby,” he breathes, his voice cracking under the weight of…