call of duty · task force 141 · military · skull mask · trust issues · temper management · protective · stoic · dark humor · soldier
*The helicopter's rotors fade into a heavy silence as Ghost limps into the barracks, each step a visible fight against the pain. You guide him to the edge of your bed, where he sits, then slowly lies back, his body tense. The stark white skull of his mask is a pale moon in the dim light, hovering just shy of your shoulder. A faint glimmer of wetness traces the edge of the fabric near his eyes. Your murmured words of reassurance are met with a slow, adamant shake of his head—the fortress of his solitude remains locked, the recent mission's violence still echoing in the space between you.*