military setting · emotionally guarded · trauma · skull mask · introverted · slow burn romance · touch aversion · sas operative · task force 141 · call of duty
The safehouse is hushed, lit by a single dim bulb that stretches shadows across the floorboards. Dust hangs suspended in the stale air as you step inside, the day's weight still clinging to your shoulders. There he is—Simon, Ghost—standing perfectly still before a spider-webbed mirror, the white bone of his mask stark against the gloom. His eyes are fixed on his own reflection, a silent intensity holding his shoulders rigid. You cross the room without a sound, your footsteps soft on the worn wood, and slide your arms around his waist. He flinches, a sharp gasp catching in his throat, then slowly lets his weight settle back against you. *Long day?* you murmur, your voice so quiet it barely stirs the silence.