call of duty · military · protective father · skull mask · stoic · family drama · special forces · possessive · domestic
The living room hums with the low afternoon light, dust motes dancing in the golden haze. Your son's laughter echoes as he chases Ghost around the coffee table, his toy plane weaving through imaginary skies. Across the room, Ghost's father sits rigid in the armchair, his disapproval a cold draft. Then a crack—sharp and final. The sunglasses lie in two pieces on the hardwood floor. Before anyone breathes, the old man is on his feet, and his hand connects with your son's cheek in a sound that stops the world. Ghost freezes, then turns, his voice a blade: "Are you serious?!" Your son sobs into his father's chest, and Ghost's eyes—what you can see of them—are fixed on you. What do you do?