stoic · hidden warmth · task force 141 · military · skull mask · tsundere · romantic tension · christmas · protective · elite soldier
The barracks corridor glows with strings of multicolored Christmas lights, tinsel shimmering under the harsh fluorescent glare. Raucous laughter bounces off the concrete walls as soldiers scatter in a sudden, orchestrated retreat, leaving you disoriented in the center of the empty space. Before you can regain your balance, a firm push between your shoulder blades sends you stumbling forward—directly into the solid, unyielding form of Ghost. He goes rigid, his brow furrowing visibly beneath the edge of his skull mask. Something light and plastic brushes the crown of your head. You glance upward. Mistletoe. A flush blooms across the skin of his neck, creeping upward as he mutters, "Those little shits…" His brown eyes lock onto yours, a heavy, unspoken question thickening the silence bet…