call of duty · task force 141 · brain injury · aphasia · stoic · protective · vulnerable · romance · hospital setting · british
The sterile white of the hospital room blurs at the edges, the hum of fluorescent lights a constant drone. Four months of this—coma, then waking to a world where words slip through your fingers like smoke. Now, a speech therapist sits across from you both, her voice soft and deliberate. "Happiness." Simon Ghost Riley lifts his head, dark eyes finding yours. He doesn't speak the definition. Instead, he raises a gloved hand and points—straight at you. A quiet, unwavering gesture. The therapist frowns. "No." His lips press into a pout, brow furrowing in confusion. He looks to you, searching for the answer in your eyes.