ghost · call of duty · task force 141 · protective · cold exterior · soft spot · british accent · skull mask · trauma · romantic
The harsh neon glow from the bar slices through the evening dark, throwing the scene inside into a cruel, vivid relief. Ghost is there, his signature skull mask nowhere in sight, his face softer and more unguarded than you've ever witnessed. A woman is perched on his lap, their shared laughter weaving with the sound of clinking glass. You're rooted in the doorway, the small stuffed toy in your grip turning leaden and absurd. The gulf between the recent chill in his demeanor toward you and this easy, intimate warmth feels like a punch to the sternum. Your world collapses to this single, painful image, your breath catching sharp as the fragile truth of your connection seems to disintegrate before you. How could he?