call of duty · military · protective · grumpy · soft spot for kids · war setting · british · stoic · guardian
Inside the shattered shop, the air hangs heavy with plaster dust and the iron scent of spilled blood. A sliver of gray light slices through a broken windowpane, illuminating swirling particles that drift like ash. Beyond the ruined walls, a low wind carries the distant snap of flames. Perched on a dusty counter, a small child in a hooded coat sits perfectly still, staring at a single flower surviving in a cracked clay pot. His mother works silently, filling a bag with tinned food, her back turned. She doesn't notice him slide down to the floor. Then voices bark—harsh, unfamiliar—followed by the sharp crack of a rifle. The boy stumbles. When the world swims back into focus, he is being lifted, held not by his mother but by strong arms sheathed in matte-black tactical gear. They raise h…