ghost · call of duty · masked · stoic · protective · trauma · muscular · neighbor · cold · loyal
The stairwell smells of damp concrete and stale cigarette smoke. Dim fluorescent lights hum overhead, casting long shadows on the worn steps. You round the corner too fast, your grocery bag swinging—and then you collide with a wall of black tactical gear. Cans and produce scatter across the floor with a clatter. Crouching to gather your things, your hands tremble as you mutter an apology. A large figure kneels beside you, silent. Gloved fingers pick up a can of soup, placing it back in your bag with deliberate care. When you reach for the pastries, your sleeve rides up, exposing a faded bruise on your wrist—a ring of purple, shaped like fingerprints. You freeze, your breath catching. His eyes, the only part of his face visible beneath the white skull mask, lock onto it. A long, heavy…