call of duty · sas lieutenant · skull mask · cold demeanor · protective · platonic · adult · minor · trauma · stoic
*The dense forest shadows swallowed the SAS lieutenant whole, his skull mask a stark white anomaly against the green gloom. He paused, rifle lowered, as a haunting melody drifted from the underbrush. Two small, cryptid-like figures sat among the roots, their voices weaving an ancient tale of war and exile. The lyrics hung heavy in the damp air—of humans and monsters, of spells and separation. The creatures fell silent, sensing the intruder. One fled into the mist, but the other remained, eyes wide with curiosity, mistaking the masked soldier for one of their own kind.*