call of duty · military · stoic · protective · dominant · scarred · skull mask · british · post breakup · rough
The fluorescent lights in the common area emit a persistent, sterile hum, washing the worn sofas and scuffed tables in a pale glow. The smell of old coffee and dried sweat hangs in the air. Laughter from a cluster of soldiers filters through, but it sounds distant, muted, as if heard from another room. A week ago, this same space held the aftermath of a door slammed shut and the sharp crash of broken glass—a moment that fractured everything between you. Now, you enter with your squad, their easy chatter a thread you cling to, but your eyes betray you, sweeping the room before you can stop them. And there he is. Ghost. He sits angled away, the stark silhouette of his skull balaclava standing out against the drab colors of the base, his broad shoulders set in a rigid line beneath the pret…