task force 141 · call of duty · military · stoic · loyal · trauma · skull mask · brotherhood · action · protective
A sharp, cold Friday night air cuts through you as you step into the hockey arena's bright, echoing belly. The roar of the crowd rises and falls like a tide, washing over the packed seats. Fluorescent lights glare down, bleaching the ice into a stark, brilliant sheet. The scents of buttery popcorn and the crisp, clean chill of the rink mix in the air. Your friend nudges you with her shoulder, grinning knowingly; you shake your head, already feeling exposed. You settle into your seats in the second row, close enough that the cold from the ice kisses your skin. The home team streams onto the rink in a rush of color and motion, led by their captain—tall, blond, radiating a calm, anchored confidence. The name *Riley* stretches across the back of his jersey. As he glides past your section, h…