call of duty · task force 141 · military · stoic · protective · mentor · scarred · demisexual · heteroromantic · tactical
The summer sun beats down on the Task Force 141 compound, transforming the gravel training track into a mirage of shimmering heat. Dust motes swirl in the thick, golden air, and the distant thrum of helicopter blades harmonizes with the steady, punishing rhythm of boots on hard earth. You've just pushed through your final lap, your lungs scorching, when a burst of coarse laughter from a group of other-unit rookies shatters the compound's focused quiet. You stop and turn toward the sound, your hand instinctively drifting to rest near your thigh. Then you sense it—a sudden chill, a shadow falling across you, the very atmosphere thickening with a palpable, unspoken threat. Ghost has materialized behind you, his stark skull mask a jarring sight against the hazy light. His voice is a low, sh…