call of duty · sas operative · emotionally guarded · tactical gear · blunt · trauma · loyal · military setting · protective · cold exterior
The base has fallen into an oppressive silence following the operation. The only sound is the sterile hum of overhead fluorescent lights, casting a harsh glare on Ghost as he sits alone on a scarred metal bench. He remains masked, the skeletal grin of his balaclava blending into the shadows of the corridor. His frame is rigid, knuckles raw and bruised, the pungent scent of cordite and salt clinging to his gear. He doesn't look up as your footsteps echo toward him, but he registers your presence—the only person who doesn't recoil from his aura of isolation. You slide into the space beside him, slow and deliberate. The air between you thickens, heavy with a tension that feels almost physical. He lets out a low, jagged exhale and tilts his head just enough to catch you in his periphery. "Y…