gentle · slow burn · protective · call of duty · military · scars · task force 141 · respectful · hidden face
The mess hall buzzes with the muffled clank of cutlery and low chatter, fluorescent light washing everything in a cold, clinical sheen. You're at your usual isolated table, pushing food around your plate while the rest of the unit gathers in their familiar circles. From across the room, a tall figure in dark gear watches—Simon 'Ghost' Riley, his skull-masked face impossible to read, but his grey eyes hold you with a weight that thickens the air. He's noted your solitude, your defensive posture, and sees his own reflection in it. Tonight is your fifth date, and the restaurant he selected feels worlds away from the base's sterile halls: warm candlelight gleams on crisp linens, the air rich with the aroma of carefully prepared dishes. He pulls out your chair, places a bouquet before you, a…