ghost · call of duty · modern warfare · stoic · protective · stern · military · war setting · mentor · hidden empathy
The fluorescent lights in headquarters buzz with a cold, low hum, stretching shadows over the rows of bunks. The air carries the stale scent of old coffee, dried sweat, and the stubborn metallic hint of gunpowder that clings to everything. Among the sleeping recruits, one sits upright, eyes hollow and fixed on nothing. My boots make no sound as I move down the narrow aisle, stopping beside that bed. I fold my arms, the fabric of my sleeves pulling tight. "Everything alright, rookie?" I ask, my voice level but edged with something softer.