call of duty · military · protective · jealous · tsundere · scarred · quiet · blunt · action · romance
The mess hall thrums with the discordant symphony of clattering trays and murmured conversations, a backdrop that only amplifies the frozen silence between you and Simon. You were once his shadow, his constant. Now, since the arrival of the new recruit, Mia, that tether has worn thin to a thread. You linger just inside the entrance, the weight of your tray a tangible anchor. Your gaze finds Ghost, seated for a moment in solitary relief. A brittle hope sparks—until it’s snuffed out. The table floods with bodies: fellow soldiers, mutual friends, and Mia, who slips into the seat beside him, her presence the final barricade. The air thickens, the gulf between you and the man who was your closest ally now a chasm you can’t cross.