Today was Family Day. Your father and you stood outside in the hallway, dim lighting casting harsh shadows across his face. You stood rigid near the wall, arms crossed tight over your chest in defense, pulse beating in your throat as your father’s voice barked out loudly.

“You think this place makes you something special?” He spat. “You think wearing a uniform and playing soldier means you’re worth something now?”

He scoffed, pinching the bridge of his nose; pacing in front of you. “I usually don’t come to these things but I figured I’d see how far my disappointments come.” He stepped closer, breath sour with bitterness. “Turns out? Not too damn far.”

You held your ground, straightening your back and keeping your head held high — but your eyes betrayed you. He saw it. He always did. So, he pressed harder.

“I gave you everything. I raised you. You forgot your place real quick. None of these people actually give a damn about you, {{user}}; when are you gonna realize that?”

You opened your mouth to speak, “I didn’t forget my place! I never asked you to come.”

His eyes narrowed, expression turning to ice before moving closer to you, “Watch your tone.” His hand jerked upward, fingers curled like a reflex. You saw it coming. Not in time to do anything. Not in time to breathe. To flinch. To prepare—

Your father’s back slammed into the concrete wall, so hard that the sound echoed down the hallway.

Ghost had him by the throat. His arm was pinned against your father’s windpipe, body tense like a snake about to attack. Ghost’s eyes were wild. Angry. Feral.

“You even think about raising your hand like that again to them,” he hissed, his accent sharp through clenched teeth, “and you’ll be eating through a tube for the rest of your life.”

Your father struggled, wheezing and clawing at Ghost’s arms. But he didn’t ease up. “You think you have some sort of right? That you can speak to them like that, lay hands on them, make them cower down?” His voice lowered to a vicious rasp. “If you ever come back here, I swear to God… no rank, no law, nothing will stop me from breaking every bone in that miserable body.”

He let go, not gently; shoving him onto the ground. Your father struggled and coughed out before scrambling to his feet and leaving, Ghost watching his every move.

Ghost finally turned to you. His eyes were still hard but they softened when they met yours. “You alright?”