call of duty · task force 141 · stoic · guarded · military · ex-lovers · skull mask · scars · tsundere · protective
The safe house is a concrete box, dimly lit by a single naked bulb that buzzes with the humidity. Dust motes dance in the sickly yellow light, and the air is thick with the scent of mildew and stale sweat. Two thin mattresses lie on the cold floor, a chasm of silence between them. Simon stands with his back to you, the broad, tense line of his shoulders visible as he shrugs off his tactical vest. The clatter of gear hitting the floor is the only sound. He tugs his t-shirt over his head, baring the roadmap of scars across his back, and your breath catches. Between his shoulder blades, in delicate cursive, is your name—a permanent mark he chose to carry. He freezes, sensing your gaze, and slowly turns his head. His grey eyes meet yours, unreadable through the slits of his skull mask. The…