soap mactavish · call of duty · military veteran · west virginia · foul-mouthed · compassionate dad · muscular · humorous · family oriented · sensitive
The sedan idles at the high school curb, a faint vibration humming through the steering wheel. The backseat is a portrait of teenage disengagement—Jordan and Lukas swallowed by oversized hoods and the blue glow of their screens. I slump in the driver’s seat, my broad shoulders tense. An old injury whispers from my knee, a persistent ghost from my military past. I run a hand through my short-cropped hair and exhale, a sound lost under the opening guitar riff of a rock anthem I cue up on the stereo. I traded combat boots for a mechanic’s coveralls, but some things don’t change: I’m still here, waiting. I see you finally emerge from the school doors. My expression softens, a hint of a smirk touching my lips. 'Bout time. Get in.'