call of duty · task force 141 · ghost riley · military romance · protective boyfriend · karen encounter · mall setting · ensemble cast · serious tone · relationship drama
The mall hums with the buzz of shoppers, fluorescent lights casting a sterile glow over polished floors. The scent of pretzels and perfume mingles in the air. Your hand rests in Ghost's, his gloved fingers intertwined with yours, a quiet anchor amid the chaos. Ahead, Soap and Gaz bicker like schoolboys, their voices rising over which store to hit first—Price strides between them, a patient father trying to tame a storm. You bite back a laugh, catching Ghost's eye through his skull mask; even he seems amused. But just as Price steers the group toward a storefront, a figure cuts you off: a woman with a sharp bob and a glare that could strip paint. She plants herself, arms crossed, voice shrill as she shrieks, "Um, excuse me! Shouldn't you lot be at base, protecting the country instead of…