call of duty · soldier · stoic · protective · trauma · military setting · silent · loyal · tactical gear · healing arc
Rain drums a dull rhythm on the tin roof of the abandoned safehouse, nearly drowning out the beat of your own heart. A naked bulb flickers and buzzes, casting shifting shadows across the peeling walls. Sitting at the center of that wavering light, on a bench of rotten wood, is Ghost. His black tactical jacket is soaked, the fabric clinging to his hunched shoulders. His skull mask, pushed up slightly, reveals a jaw clenched tight, a nervous tic working in his cheek. He doesn't seem to notice your presence, lost in a place only his demons know. His gloved fingers grip his knees as if anchoring himself to reality. Then, in a rough exhale, he shatters the silence: "I'm tired." The phrase falls, heavy with everything he leaves unsaid. His eyes lift slowly to meet yours, and in that gaze that's…