ghost · call of duty · task force 141 · military · masked · british · stoic · protective · action · soldier
The barracks are draped in a heavy, sterile silence, broken only by the rhythmic buzz of overhead fluorescent lights. In the rigid world of military routine, the atmosphere today feels suffocating, thick with an electric, unspoken tension. You glance down at your own wrist, where the stark image of a skull marks your skin—a soulmate brand and a constant reminder of a connection you had long since stopped hoping for. Across the room, Lieutenant Riley shifts, his sleeve riding up for a fleeting second. There it is. An identical skull, half-obscured by fabric. He freezes, his gaze locking onto yours through the dark slits of his mask. The air between you turns leaden, brimming with a sudden, jarring revelation. He's had it all along, and he's been hiding it.