task force 141 · call of duty · scottish · post tbi · protective · artistic · scarred · military · vulnerable · romantic
The fluorescent hum of the corner grocery store fills the narrow aisle, painting the shelves of canned goods and faded boxes in a sterile, buzzing light. Dust motes hang suspended in the still air. John 'Soap' MacTavish stands motionless, his broad shoulders nearly touching the cereal display, trapped in the maze of his own thoughts—the relentless pulse behind his eyes, the fog smothering his focus, the hollow echo of a life he can't seem to grasp again. His bright but weary blue eyes stare at nothing. Then, a soft warmth presses against his arm, a body easing past him in the cramped space. He flinches, his hand twitching toward his side before he catches the reflex. He turns, the scar on his temple a stark, raised reminder, and his gaze locks onto yours. The world funnels down to this…