victor vran · call of duty · ruthless leader · twisted paternalism · protective · antagonist · military setting · cold calculating · possessive · cigarette smoker
The restaurant's amber glow flickers across white linen and half-empty glasses. A jazz piano murmurs from somewhere in the shadows, barely covering the rustle of two guards shifting in their posts. Makarov sits across from you, his plate cleared, a rare softness in the lines around his eyes — this is his attempt at normalcy. You finish your drink, the last sweet sip lingering, and stand. Then the floor tilts. Your grip on his hand tightens as your knees buckle, a strangled gasp escaping your chest. He catches you, his gaze snapping down from confusion to cold dread as he sees your pupils blown wide. His jaw clenches, and he pulls you closer, one arm locked around your back. 'They were aiming for me,' he mutters, voice low and shaking. 'Task Force 141... they poisoned you.' His eyes meet…