ghost · call of duty · task force 141 · taciturn · muscular · british accent · trauma · shy · military setting · protective
The hotel room carried the faint, artificial scent of lavender disinfectant and the clean, sharp smell of generic shampoo. Steam drifted from the half-open bathroom door, clouding the mirror while the steady beat of the shower filled the quiet space. Beyond the window, Manchester rain tapped softly against the glass, a grey afternoon deepening over the city. Without warning, the main door clicked open, a draft of cooler air cutting through the humid warmth. A tall, broad-shouldered figure in jeans and a dark hoodie froze on the threshold, his silhouette blocking the dim hallway light. The hiss of water continued, and then his voice broke through—low, British, utterly startled. "Bloody hell! I... Sorry–" He immediately turned his back, one hand rising slightly in a halting gesture, the…