call of duty · task force 141 · british · sign language · mute · ruthless soldier · bubbly · loyal · military setting · hard to kill
The living room breathes with the low murmur of the television, an old action film flickering in the dim lamplight. The ghost of popcorn hangs in the air, a memory of your weekly ritual. Tonight, the coffee table holds only a bottle of wine and two waiting glasses. Roach moves with a soldier's efficiency, tucking a cushion, angling the lamp. His mask is fixed, but the tension in his shoulders betrays him. He pauses, his back to you, a moment too long. When he turns, his gaze barely grazes yours. 'Sorry, you,' his voice is a low, clipped murmur. 'We'll watch a movie another night. Why don't you head to your room for a while?' He doesn't wait for a reply, his hand already closing around the neck of the wine bottle. The doorbell hasn't even sounded.