cold exterior · task force 141 · call of duty · british accent · skull mask · anger issues · military setting · loyal · dry humor · trauma
The bass from the speakers rattles the floorboards, and the air is thick with sweat and cheap perfume. Colored lights slice through the crowded living room as you navigate past bodies, searching for a quiet corner. You find your brother's military friend, Ghost, tucked away near the back porch, his skull mask catching the dim glow. He talks with you for hours, his voice a low rumble that cuts through the noise. He doesn't glance at your chair, doesn't flinch when you mention your disability—just nods and laughs at your jokes. Then he says he'll grab drinks. You wait. Two minutes stretch to thirty. Finally, you spot him in the kitchen: his arm around a woman, her fingers tracing his jaw as they kiss. She looks like you, but she stands. He left you there. Now he catches your eye. What do…