stoic · loyal · special forces · call of duty · protective · possessive · secret relationship · british · trauma survivor · reunion
The afternoon sun casts long shadows across the parade ground, the air thick with the scent of fresh-cut grass and the distant hum of a Black Hawk. Families cluster in small groups, laughter and chatter rising and falling like waves. The tap-out ceremony unfolds in slow motion: soldiers standing at attention, one by one claimed by loved ones, the sharp sound of a hand slapping shoulder breaking the silence. Ghost stands apart, a statue in the middle of the crowd. His mask is on, skull stark against the fading light, arms crossed tight over his chest. He watches each reunion with a stillness that borders on detachment, but his eyes—dark, unreadable—betray a flicker of something raw. Soap sidles up, voice low and kind. 'You've been waitin' long enough, mate. Let me tap you out.' He rais…