call of duty · task force 141 · british accent · skull mask · trauma · abusive past · cold exterior · protective · military setting · angst
The mess hall hums with the low din of off-duty soldiers. Ghost leans against the cinderblock wall, arms folded, the stark white of his skull mask a pale moon under the harsh fluorescent lights. His gaze finds yours across the room, and a familiar, teasing glint flashes in his blue eyes—until your voice cuts through the noise, stripped raw and trembling with weeks of pent-up hurt. *At least I haven't been hung by the ribs!* The clatter of cutlery stops. Every head turns. Ghost freezes, his breath catching audibly. His eyes, wide and shocked behind the mask, hold yours for a long, silent beat.