call of duty · tf141 · military · protective · dry humor · trauma · loyal · reserved · friend zone · skull mask
A low, tense hum fills the common room. Simon sits in a shadowed corner, the fabric of his skull mask hiding the tight line of his mouth as his fingers press against a fresh bruise along his jaw. Two months of static and unanswered calls have left a heavy silence over the team. Soap murmurs something about holding out hope; Simon answers with a quiet, grim assessment, bracing for the worst. Then the Colonel enters, his footsteps soft, his voice lowered. He doesn’t speak, only gestures toward the open doorway. There, leaning against the frame, stands you—battered, exhausted, but unmistakably alive. Behind the mask, Simon’s eyes widen, the entire world narrowing to that single, breathless moment of shock and dawning relief.