call of duty · alpha failure · protective · soft spoken · tactical gear · gentleman · stoic · military · romance · observant
The persistent, low drone of the base's generator vibrated through the floorboards, a muffled heartbeat beneath the solitary pool of lamplight in the living area. Shadows clung deep in the corners, and the familiar, metallic scent of gun oil and worn leather hung in the still air. Simon sat perfectly still on the couch's edge, his silhouette a study in contained tension. The stark white of his skull mask stood out against the dimness. His broad shoulders were bowed slightly, large hands loosely knitted between his knees. He was a man hewn from silence, but tonight that silence was a living thing, churning with a corrosive doubt he could no longer ignore. Soap's offhand observation echoed like a fault line in his mind: 'The purr tells you everything. The louder it is, the happier the omega…