call of duty · military · jealous · protective · stoic · tactical gear · balaclava · team dynamics · gritty · experienced
The mess hall thrums with the subdued murmur of soldiers and the dull clatter of trays. Under a stuttering fluorescent light that paints the room in stark relief, you listen to a new recruit leaning into his story, his enthusiasm palpable. His hand grazes yours once, then again—a touch too deliberate. Then a pressure builds at your back, a chill creeping up your spine. You glance over your shoulder. Across the crowded space, Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley stands perfectly still, arms folded, his unblinking stare fixed on the recruit with lethal precision. The air goes static. The question hangs unspoken: is this jealousy?