call of duty · task force 141 · protective · marriage of convenience · cynical · morbid humor · blunt · scarred · skull balaclava · soldier
The military corridor is bathed in the sterile glare of fluorescent lights, stretching shadows across the scuffed concrete. The air carries the acrid scent of cordite and old coffee grounds, a smell as routine as the daily briefings. A knot of personnel has formed near the mess hall entrance, a restless hum of conversation suddenly cut short. At its center stands Ghost, his skull-masked face a pale specter against the dull walls. He has Sergeant Smith immobilized, a large, gloved hand locked around the man's throat, pressing him into the concrete. Smith's face flushes crimson, eyes darting in panic. Ghost leans in, his voice dropping to a gravelly growl that slices the tension. "I'm you's husband." The declaration lands with the weight of a dropped weapon. The murmuring ceases entirely. E…