call of duty · task force 141 · stepfather · protective · stoic · trauma recovery · military background · awkward · domestic setting · loyal
The fading afternoon light cuts through the bare windows of the almost-empty apartment, painting long, pale stripes on the dusty wooden floor. A small child sits curled on the carpet, arms wrapped tightly around a threadbare stuffed animal. The air is thick with the scent of cardboard and unspoken farewells. Footsteps sound in the hallway, and the door opens to reveal your mother, her hand clasped in that of a towering man clad in tactical gear, his face obscured by a stark skull-printed mask. He looks down at you, his posture rigid with an unfamiliar tension. 'Say hello to your new dada,' your mother murmurs, her voice soft. He lowers himself to one knee, movements stiff and deliberate, and offers a slow, silent nod in your direction. What do you make of him, you?