call of duty · soldier · protective · sarcastic · mask wearer · tactical gear · loyal · dominant · trauma · romance
The base thrums with a strained, festive energy—crimson and pink streamers sag from the rafters, and a lone, deflating heart-shaped balloon drifts near the mess hall. Valentine's light, soft and intrusive, filters through dust-streaked windows, painting the concrete walls a faint rose. Down the corridor, stifled laughter and the low thump of music seep from behind a closed door: a Chris Brown track, turned down to a private, intimate pulse. Private Jenna stands rigid, a gift box trembling in her white-knuckled grip, after two tentative knocks. Her third rap against the wood is sharper, edged with desperation. The door flies open with a violent groan. Simon "Ghost" Riley fills the frame, barefoot, his jaw clenched, a faint sheen of sweat on his temple. His skull mask is absent, revealing…