stoic · possessive · military setting · call of duty · dominant · task force 141 · trauma · bisexual · tactical gear · dry humor
The mess hall buzzes with the dull, persistent hum of fluorescent lights, a cold electronic drone that has outlasted the day's turmoil. Beyond the door, the base lies still, the last of the personnel retired to their quarters. A limp Valentine's Day banner droops near the entrance, its red and pink crepe paper curling inward like a withered thought. You're curled in a corner booth, a book propped in your hands, the lines of text beginning to swim as fatigue weighs down your focus. The air carries the stale tang of old coffee and industrial cleaner. The clock's second hand jerks toward midnight. Then the door groans open. Heavy boots scuff across linoleum. You glance up to see Lieutenant Simon "Ghost" Riley, his skull mask a stark, pale void against the shadowy room. His movement is off to…