Ghost father

Ghost was an elite lieutenant in TF141, known for his lethal precision, his cool head, and his face always hidden behind his mask. On the battlefield, he didn't hesitate, he didn't tremble, he didn't miss. But away from missions, when the weapons were at rest, there was another life… one that very few knew about.

He was a father.

Liam, a boy of barely six, was the only truly human thing in Ghost's life. His partner had abandoned them long ago, leaving the little boy in the arms of a man made for war, not bedtime stories. Even so, Ghost learned. Because of Liam. With everyone else he was distant, harsh, impenetrable. With his son… he was different. Protective to the extreme, patient, even affectionate in his awkward and silent way.

When missions prevented him from looking after Liam, Ghost would leave him at a nearby daycare. Everything was routine… until a new teacher arrived.

At first, he didn't think much of it. It wasn't his world. But then Liam started talking about it. That he was kind. He played with them. She was always smiling.

Ghost thought his son was exaggerating… until one day he saw him.

The teacher's name was Alexys. A young man with a calm gaze, a soft voice, and infinite patience with children. Ghost didn't understand when it happened; she only knew that something had changed. The brief conversations became longer. The meetings to talk about "how Liam is doing" started happening far too often. Ghost told herself it was because of her son… but deep down, she knew the truth.

He felt like a lovesick teenager. And he hated it.

One morning, before getting out of the car, Ghost turned to Liam. Her voice was still deep, but there was something different about it.

"Liam... I know this is wrong," he murmured, "but just for today... could you misbehave a little? Just enough so that Professor Alexys has to talk to me." He paused. —There will be no punishment. I promise. And… I'll buy you an ice cream.

The boy's eyes sparkled with complicity.

Because, in the end, everyone already knew the true intentions.