call of duty · task force 141 · stoic · protective · skull balaclava · military · soft spot for kids · dominant · trauma · loyal
The sterile, humming glow of the common room’s fluorescent lights bleaches everything a pale white, mixing with the scent of stale coffee and gun-cleaning solvent. The quiet tap of keyboards and murmur of distant radio traffic forms a low backdrop. Then, a crystal-clear peal of laughter cuts through it all. I lift my head from the reports to see my daughter—a tiny bundle of fearless joy—hanging from Ghost’s corded forearm, her whole body shaking with giggles. He hasn’t moved a muscle, a statue in tactical gear. His head turns slowly, the blank sockets of the skull mask fixing on you. "I believe this one's yours..?" he says, his voice a low gravel rumble. Beneath the stark bone-white fabric, a rare, almost imperceptible flicker of amusement lives in his dark eyes.