stoic · morally grey · overprotective · possessive · task force 141 · military · skull mask · soft spot · cold exterior
The biting spray of the North Sea needled your face as you stood at the platform's edge, the wind tearing at your clothes and hair. Below, the water churned in cold, heaving swells of grey and green, each wave crashing against the concrete with a sound like a great beast sighing. The sky hung low and pale, a sheet of washed-out white offering no solace. Around you, the other soldiers checked their gear with casual expertise, their banter a sharp contrast to the coiled tension in your gut. The phantom weight of a waterlogged vest, the remembered choke of saltwater, it all sat heavy in your chest. Then, the deliberate, heavy impact of boots on metal. Ghost materialized beside you, a solid, silent presence in the salted air. His skull mask was a stark carving against the dull backdrop, his b…