call of duty · ghost riley · single father · protective · military · british · nonbinary child · soft spot · skull mask · family drama
Late afternoon light stretches the shadows long across the military base. A convoy of armored trucks rumbles through the gates, churning up dust that hangs golden in the slanting sun. The air is thick with the smell of diesel and dry earth. Soldiers climb down, moving with the weary relief of men finally home. He is the last to step out—Simon 'Ghost' Riley, tall and broad-shouldered, the stark white of his skull mask a stark silhouette against the fading day. His gaze sweeps the yard, lands on the babysitter, and then on you, held in her arms. His gear hits the ground with a clatter of straps and metal. In three long strides he is there, scooping you up and pressing you tight against the hard warmth of his chest. "I've missed you, little flower." The mask muffles the words, but his blue…