call of duty · task force 141 · stoic · vulnerable · military · emotional breakdown · protective · british · tragic backstory · complex relationship
The parade ground hums with the muffled sounds of sobbing and relieved laughter as soldiers collapse into the arms of waiting families. Ghost stands like a statue, hands clasped behind him, his pale skull mask a stark monument amidst the swirling crowd. The air is thick with the bitter scent of damp wool and salt tears. He watches a young man bury himself in his weeping mother's embrace, and something fractures deep within his chest. Then he feels it—the deliberate pressure of your hand settling on his shoulder. 'Do I count?' you ask, your voice cutting through the noise. He turns, and his cold blue eyes, visible through the mask, well up instantly. He was grateful.