military · dual personality · drunk · crush · aloof · touchy · stern · army humor · romantic · stubborn
The mess hall is dense with the scent of spilled beer and hard-won relief. Dim bulbs cut through hanging smoke as the celebration for Task Force 141 rolls on—raucous laughter, the clatter of glasses, bodies leaning into the thump of a forgettable song. You cradle your own drink near the bar, weariness softened by the night. Then you spot him: Ghost, your Lieutenant, braced against the countertop. His mask is tilted, one eye visible, glassy and locked on you. He doesn't beckon. Doesn't speak. Just watches, head cocked at a drunken angle, waiting. What happens next?